Africa is lagging behind in technology acquisition compared to other continents, Dr Evans Woherem, chairman of Digital Africa Global Consults, told a press conference marking the launch of the 2nd Annual Digital Africa Conference.
Woherem said continents such as America, Europe and Asia are quicker than Africa in acquisition and adoption of technology.
He decried the lack of urgency in technology acquisition. For Nigeria, he said the country must improve its technological competence to boost development and economic buoyancy.
“As at today, the most exciting ICT business opportunities lie in Africa and the Middle East. To get to the level of technological competence of the rest of the world, African countries need to run faster than they are doing so far,” he said.
“This requires for our leaders to comprehend that reality and develop a sense of urgency for the development of technology and the economy.”
He said there is a difference between using technologies invented and innovated by another country and actually being the inventing country.
“It is more rewarding to be one of the key inventing and innovating countries of the world in technology. This is what I mean as technological competence. In other words, it is not the mere purchase and use of technologies invented from abroad or technological diffusion,” he said.
“Although Africa had traditionally lagged behind in certain critical economic sectors, ICT is clearly a bright spot for the continent that must be seized to move the continent ahead confidently.”
The Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition will take place May 20-22, 2014.
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