The African Development Bank (AfDB) and Google have formalised cooperation aimed at advancing digital transformation in Africa.

Development Diaries reports that the letter of intent was signed by the parties during the Global Africa Business Initiative at the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

A 2023 World Bank report, titled From Connectivity to Services: Digital Transformation in Africa, revealed that despite advancements, just 36 percent of Africans had access to broadband internet in 2022.

It also noted that although there were more mobile internet users in the continent, the quality of the services offered and the extent of the broadband infrastructure still lagged behind other continents.

In its Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa 2030, the African Union noted that the main challenges facing African businesses when trading digitally included infrastructure issues and unreliable payments

Digitisation is a driver for positive change and critical to the attainment of Agenda 2063 aspirations and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), hence the AfDB-Google collaboration is timely.

The agreement, according to a statement from the bank,  underscores a shared commitment to harness emerging technologies, extend and improve infrastructure, and refine talent and skills in the continent.

‘Our journey from a 2 percent telephony penetration in 1998 to today’s era of 4G, 5G, and AI signifies immense progress. With 70 percent of sub-Saharan Africans under 30, our focus is on catalyzing businesses to create jobs and offer innovative solutions’,  said the AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina.

Google is expected to provide technical support to help entrepreneurs and small and medium firms by helping them digitise their operations, secure financing, master digital marketing, and advance the development of the private sector.

Photo source: AfDB