When we speak of productivity in the digital age, we are really talking about people.
Productivity is not only about output per worker — it is about opportunity per person.
In Africa, we see both the challenge and the promise of this new era.
Yes, our digital gaps are large — connectivity, infrastructure, skills.
But we also have something the world envies: youth, creativity, and a hunger to build.
We have already leapfrogged before.
Mobile money transformed finance across the continent — not because we had the best infrastructure, but because entrepreneurs saw a need and innovated around our constraints.
Artificial intelligence can be the next great leap — in healthcare, where diagnostic tools reach remote clinics; in education, where content becomes accessible in local languages; and in agriculture, where data helps small farmers improve yields.
But to make this real, we must be honest about the obstacles.
Too many of our entrepreneurs lack access to affordable capital.
Too many of our citizens lack digital skills.
And too often, technology’s benefits are captured by the few, not the many.
That is why partnerships are key — not charity, but collaboration.
We need smart public-private partnerships that mobilize capital for digital infrastructure and skills, without burdening public finances.
At Heirs Holdings, we have seen how blended finance and long-term local investment can unlock value — from energy to finance to entrepreneurship.
If we align incentives between government, business, and citizens, we can multiply impact.
And we must make sure that global frameworks — for AI governance, for data, for finance — include African voices. Because inclusion is not automatic; it must be intentional.
My message is simple: digital transformation must not just increase productivity — it must democratize prosperity. Africa’s young people do not want sympathy; they want systems that work, skills that matter, and partners who believe.
If we invest in that — in them — then this new digital wave can finally be the one that lifts all boats, not just a few.
Thank you.
