According to Stevens, the visits of top US officials to Nigeria reflect US perception of the country as the one to reshape the future of technology in Africa.
By Jeffrey Agbo
United States Consul General, Will Stevens, has said that the US is investing heavily in Africa because it believes that digital transformation is underway in the continent.
Stevens stated this in his keynote address on Friday at the Global Tech Africa Conference held in Lekki, Lagos.
Speaking on the theme “Africa’s Development and the Future of Tech: The US Role,” the US top diplomat noted that Africa’s strength in workforce, which in the next decade is expected to hit one billion, makes the continent the go-to place.
He noted how research has shown that by 2050, one in four people on the planet would be African.
Stevens said, “In education, the United States is supporting efforts to improve access to a quality education in Africa. Working with partners through some of our public diplomacy programs, such as the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program, Academy of Women Entrepreneurs, and TechWomen; as well as with American technology companies like Microsoft and Google, we have developed digital learning platforms, trained teachers on ways to use technology to enhance learning, and provided underserved students with access to computers and the internet.
“In healthcare, we are working with Nigerian partners to develop electronic health records systems, train healthcare workers on how to use technology to deliver care, and provide Nigerians with access to affordable medicines and vaccines. Nigerian health technology companies such as Healthbotics and Helium Health have leveraged our programs and access to the United States to develop genius technologies that improve the overall healthcare system for underserved communities in Nigeria.”
The consul general stated that while venture capital investments are globally on a decline, US investors like Techstars, Y-Combinator, and 500 have closed over 100 major deals within the first nine months of the year.
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“One may wonder, why these investments in Africa? First, U.S. investors see the potential for high returns as African startups are growing rapidly with many of them disrupting traditional industries,” Stevens noted.
“The quality of African entrepreneurs is very impressive, and investors are confident in their ability to build successful businesses that provide solutions to not only African problems but global problems. The African technology ecosystem is a beacon of hope, a testament to the potential of a diverse continent, and a beaming light revealing what Africa could become.”
According to Stevens, the visits of US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joy Basu, Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Ramin Toloui to Nigeria reflect US perception of the country as the one to reshape the future of technology in Africa.
“To close, the United States believes that a digital transformation is underway in Africa, and we are consciously seeking to bolster our collaboration with those of you represented here today. The Biden-Harris Administration developed a new initiative to enable this engagement. Launched by President Biden at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum in December 2022, the Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative seeks partnerships with African countries to expand digital access, increase U.S.-Africa commercial relations, support increased digital literacy, and strengthen digital enabling environments across the continent in line with the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy and the U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa. This initiative emphasizes ‘with’ – Digital Transformation ‘with’ Africa, not ‘for’ Africa; as we believe Africa brings tremendous value to the global table,” he said.