Digitalisation, a necessity for Africa's survival and prosperity in the 21st century - Dr. Bawumia declares at LSE Africa Summit
28th March 2026
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Former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has called for Africa to boldly embrace the ongoing global digital transformation to ensure the survival and prosperity of African countries in the 21st century.
Delivering a Kenote Address at the London School of Economics' Africa Summit in London on Saturday March 28, 2026, Dr. Bawumia recalled how Africa missed out on the first three industrial revolutions and lagged behind in progress, and warned that African leaders must be deliberate and bold about embracing the global digital transformation , if the continent is not to miss out on the 4th industrial revolution.
"For us as a continent, the key lesson from our past experiences and those of others - developed and developing - is the awareness of the importance to recognize when something qualitatively new is going on, and for the will to face what’s new – to act boldly, decisively, yet cooperatively," Dr. Bawumia told the summit, as he urged Africa to embrace the ongoing digital revolution for economic transformation.
"Africa lost out in the last 100 years of progress mainly because of a lack of investment in technology, as well as failure to create enabling environments for innovators."
"We are now in the fourth industrial revolution where the technologies have come together in a global network to create the internet - which is the greatest machine ever created by mankind - and using that to also energize tools and equipment to make them ‘smart’ to create the internet of things (IOT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI), which have opened up amazing possibilities with no end in sight," he added, further urging African leaders to invest in it because it is indespensable to Africa's prosperity in this era.
"Digitalization is no longer at the periphery. It is front and center; it is a necessity for survival and prosperity in the 21st century.
"Policy makers in Africa must act with a mindset of possibilities. We should embrace technology and not be intimidated by it," he added.
The London School of Economics and Political Science Africa Summit 2026, brought together policymakers, scholars, innovators, civil society leaders, and students to debate Africa’s future with regards to the ongoing global digital revolution.