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Africa Remains Tech Colonies, says 4IR Commissioner
African countries largely remain technology colonies, due to the large number of technological-intensive services that are still outsourced from international countries.
This was the word from Rendani Mamphiswana, senior technical advisor on energy at Sasol and commissioner for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Presidential Commission, speaking at the China-Africa Joint Research and Exchange Programme Webinar Series hosted by the South African Institute of International Affairs.
Mamphiswana unpacked the findings of research he conducted in partnership with Meti Bekele, senior project officer at the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences, focusing on fourth industrial revolution (4IR) challenges and prospects in Africa.
Highlighting the low infrastructural development conducive for 4IR initiatives across the African continent, Mamphiswana pointed out that the continent’s status is still that of a technology colony – meaning Africa is highly dependent on other countries for the technological innovativeness required to elevate industries to new levels of growth and competitiveness to ensure 4IR contributes significantly to the continent’s economy.
Among the implications of being a technology colony are that the unemployment rate rises and fewer tech activities are executed by locals in the economic sector, he noted.
“Infrastructure for 4IR is quite low on the continent and in some areas it’s not there at all. We also see that due to non-competitiveness of some of our industries, there is a trend towards de-industrialisation and this makes the continent very poor from an investment potential perspective.”
Referencing Africa’s three most powerful economies – SA, Egypt and Nigeria − Mamphiswana pointed out that all three ranked from the middle to the lower tier in terms of manufacturing activities, in comparison to the rest of the world.
Adoption of modern methods of manufacturing, knowledge and technology transfer of these countries is low.
“What we have observed from the progress made by countries like China is that they have invested heavily in technologies to improve productivity and thus upgrade their existing industries, making them more developed in what has become a dynamic and competitive economy.
“There is a need for African countries to adapt and re-design technologies for local challenges. It’s not enough to have the tech itself and hope it will achieve certain objectives − it’s about the suitable business model that is able to deliver that tech to meet market requirements for a specific country.”
In terms of job creation in the digital economy, Mamphiswana pointed out that if 4IR skills and technologies are not adapted at competitive levels, the revolution might render Africa’s workforce obsolete and reinforce already existing inequalities – with educational sectors such as higher education still being too slow to augment 4IR skills, including in SA.
“Adoption of new technologies is expected to create a balance between the creation of new jobs and the loss of the existing jobs.
In Africa there might be a lag in this balance and our skills sets are still quite low, resulting in a low-skilled workforce – making it challenging to deploy most employees in higher-end jobs that will require them to engage with emerging technologies.”
On the other hand, with Africa having the largest and youngest population, 4IR has the potential to spur accelerated economic growth known as the “demographic dividend” – defined as the accelerated economic growth that can occur as a population age structure matures. This could provide an opportunity for Africa’s youth to transition into new and emerging career fields, he continued.
One of the prospects for Africa is the ability to leapfrog because some industries don’t have legacy technologies, which provides an opportunity to use emerging technologies to launch certain new markets and industries, which don’t necessarily have to compete with legacy infrastructure and investments.
“The digital divide is quite strong on the African continent so there has to be a concerted effort to invest in bridging the digital divide to be able to harness technology and enhance informal economic activity and transform it into the formalised economy to enable larger revenue generation within sectors.
There is a need to embrace 4IR in new and simple settings where there is an opportunity to launch low-cost infrastructural development, which will impact citizens’ lives and contribute to the continent’s economic development,” he concluded.
PalmPay, Nigeria’s leading digital banking platform, has announced the launch of its ₦400 million festive rewards campaign, designed to reward users with cash prizes and fully sponsored international travel experiences for everyday transactions on the PalmPay app.
The campaign will run from December 17, 2025, to January 8, 2026. The campaign is designed to reward everyday transactions with extraordinary experiences. It runs alongside PalmPay’s Purple December brand campaign, which focuses on wrapping up the company’s key brand and community initiatives for the year.
At the centre of the rewards campaign is the PalmPay World Travel Carnival, an interactive card collection experience that allows users to earn city cards by completing transactions on the app. Users are required to collect five city cards – London, New York, Dubai, Sydney, and Cape Town and combine them into a World Card, which unlocks a share of the prize pool.
The more World Cards a user creates, the larger their share of the cash rewards. Any extra uncombined cards can be swapped with friends and other PalmPay users to help complete additional World Cards.
Beyond cash rewards, the Carnival also offers Free Global Trips. In each round, the top two users with the highest number of eligible transactions (₦100 and above) and at least one World Card will win an all-expense-paid international trip.
The travel grand prize covers:
- Visa fees
- Round-trip international airfare
- 5-day, 4-night hotel accommodation
- Side attraction
- Meal expenses
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- All transportation for scheduled tour activities during the trip
Winners will be determined through a transparent leaderboard system, with prizes credited automatically at the end of each round on December 25, December 31, and January 8.
Participation is simple:
- Complete tasks on the PalmPay app, such as Airtime, Data, Transfers, and other specific transactions listed in the app, to earn cards.
- Collect all five city cards.
- Swap cards with friends to complete your collection.
- Combine cards to form a World Card and earn cash rewards.
- Perform more transactions to climb the leaderboard for a chance at the global trip prize.
To ensure fairness, PalmPay has instituted strict rules: no cheating, bots, fake accounts, or manipulation. Any violations may lead to disqualification or account bans. Additionally, the Free Travel Prize is limited to one per user throughout the campaign.
Speaking on the launch, Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing & Communication, “This festive rewards campaign is about turning everyday banking into meaningful value for our users. With the World Travel Carnival as the headline activation, we are reinforcing PalmPay’s promise of being the smarter way to bank—where smart financial decisions unlock bigger opportunities.”
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct a nationwide energy survey aimed at closing long-standing data gaps in Nigeria’s power sector. The initiative is expected to guide policy, attract investment, and accelerate universal electricity access.
Signed in Abuja, the agreement establishes a National Energy Survey based on the Multi-Tier Tracking Framework (MTF), a globally recognized methodology that measures electricity access not only by grid connection but also by quality, affordability, reliability, and usage of electricity and clean cooking solutions.
The survey will be implemented under the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank. Dr. Abba Aliyu, REA Managing Director/CEO, said the partnership underscores REA’s commitment to evidence-based rural electrification planning and will generate detailed insights on electricity access and off-grid solutions nationwide.
Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician-General of the Federation/CEO of NBS, emphasized that reliable statistics are essential for effective policymaking, assuring that NBS will provide technical oversight, sampling expertise, and quality assurance to meet global standards.
The survey will assess energy access, household affordability, expenditure patterns, and the adoption of off-grid technologies such as solar home systems, mini-grids, and clean cooking solutions. REA will provide sector expertise and policy alignment, while NBS manages regulatory approvals, methodology, and technical supervision.
Funded and technically overseen by the World Bank, the exercise will run for 18 months, with the resulting data expected to improve national energy planning, programme targeting, and private sector investment, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
Officials said the collaboration reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency coordination, enhancing energy data availability, and advancing Nigeria’s goal of universal electricity and clean cooking access.
The Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), the nation’s foremost self-regulatory body for the blockchain industry, has completed its election cycle, heralding the beginning of a new executive council dedicated to scaling Nigeria’s digital economy.
The highly anticipated elections concluded recently with the emergence of a new leadership team poised to champion industry standards, foster innovation, and drive widespread adoption of blockchain technology across the country.
The newly elected executives, who will officially assume their roles in January 2026, represent a blend of legal, financial, and technical expertise critical for navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.
Leading the charge is Mela Claude-Ake, a lawyer, who has been elected the President of SiBAN to succeed the outgoing President, Obinna Iwuno, whose tenure was marked by significant achievements, including facilitating crucial reforms and forging strategic partnerships with regulators and other critical stakeholders in the digital asset industry. Mr. Iwuno will formally hand over the reins to the new council in January 2026.
Other elected to the executive council are Chimene Chinah – Vice President 1, in charge of Blockchain education and adoption; Oroke Cornelius – Vice President 2, in charge of membership, strategic partnerships, and funding; and Ayo Shonibare – Vice President 3, in charge of policy, regulation, and ethics.
Others are Ugochukwu Peters – Vice President 4 in charge of digital asset operations and capital markets, Mbene Vivian – Chief strategy officer in charge of projects and incubation, Olufunmilayo Tugbobo as Financial Secretary/Chief Financial Officer, and Chiemeka David Ohajionu as Chief Communications Officer.
The newly elected council’s structure reflects SiBAN’s commitment to addressing key pillars of the blockchain ecosystem: from grassroots education and fostering innovation through projects, to establishing robust regulatory frameworks.
In his acceptance speech, Mela Claude-Ake emphasized the vital role SiBAN plays in shaping the future of finance and technology in Nigeria.
“The trust placed in this new council is not one we take lightly. We inherit a great foundation built by the outgoing team. Our mission now is to accelerate. We stand at a critical juncture where the potential of blockchain to revolutionize every sector, from finance and governance to supply chain, is undeniable. This new council will focus relentlessly on advancing smart, collaborative regulation, democratizing blockchain education, and protecting the interests of all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria remains a leader in the African digital economy space,” he assured.
He added that he is humbled by the opportunity to be the face of one of Nigeria’s youngest and most promising sectors — blockchain tech.
“As a tech enthusiast I am excited at the possibilities. The ecosystem needs careful nurturing by the government. My administration will be focused on building new bridges for the blockchain sector internationally and domestically, establishing trust with the public and unifying the sector. I enjoin all blockchain stakeholders in Nigeria, connected to Nigeria or of nigerian heritage to join hands together with my administration in building the industry of our dreams.”
The industry now looks forward to the handover ceremony in January 2026 and the initiatives the new SiBAN leadership will unveil to solidify the association’s role as a catalyst for innovation and a respected partner to the Nigerian government.
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