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  • Unemployment is a significant problem in Africa, with many countries experiencing high rates of joblessness.
  • The unemployment rate in Africa was 7.1 per cent in 2020, which is significantly higher than the global average. Youth unemployment in Africa is even more severe, with the youth unemployment rate at 12.9 per cent.
  • Harnessing 4IR presents opportunities to address unemployment in Africa

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has the potential to propel Africa’s economy and address one of its major challenges – unemployment. 4IR technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things, are creating new job opportunities and improving productivity in many sectors. However, harnessing 4IR to address unemployment in Africa requires overcoming some challenges.

What is the 4th Industrial Revolution?

4IR stands for the “Fourth Industrial Revolution.” It refers to the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing and other industries, driven by the development of …

Biotechnology and the biopharma industry are growing. From AI-driven drug discovery industry in the US to biotech agriculture in Tanzania, machines are increasingly determine what we eat, what drugs to cure us, machines run our lives. Photo/University of Florida

According to the World Economic Forum, artificial intelligence (AI) can contribute up to USD 15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. However, in Africa, AI market growth has stagnated, estimated at USD 870 million in 2021, with marginal growth forecasted until 2024.

It has been argued that continents in the Global South will continue to benefit less from AI than those in the North. Oxford Insights highlights bottlenecks that have handicapped the growth of AI in Africa including governments requiring the appropriate regulatory environment to support AI development – including adequate data infrastructure, and an innovative vision to implement progress at the state level.

Nonetheless, AI adds invaluable value to multiple industries in Africa (such as fintech and agritech), and progress is being made in key areas to harness the power of AI in the continent. Through the continued development of reliable and far-reaching internet infrastructure and progressive AI …

Intelligent packaging: Africa adopting blockchain and AI technology to end the plastic waste menace. www.theexchange.africa

According to the Future Market Insights report, around 9.2 billion tonnes of plastic have been manufactured globally, out of which only 9 per cent is recycled!

The technology helps to protect manufacturers and consumers against food and drug counterfeits. 

 With the plastic waste menace causing unprecedented damage globally, there has been an ongoing movement to discover and use alternative packaging materials, such as paper, glass, and metals.

The dilemma facing the world right now is that even the processes of creating plastic-free solutions often release more significant carbon emissions than conventional plastics.…

A photo about Internet economy in Africa.
  • The continent internet economy can reach $180 billion by 2025, accounting for 5.2 per cent of Africa’s GDP
  • Africa’s access to the internet stands at  40 per cent, according to Google
  • With more than 1.3 billion people, Africa lags behind the rest of the world in internet connectivity as it has only 22 per cent in connectivity

Africa’s digital economy is expanding quite fast. The continent internet economy can reach $180 billion by 2025, accounting for 5.2 per cent of Africa’s GDP, according to information from IFC.

Doubling down on the latter, by 2050, the projected potential contribution could reach $712 billion, 8.5 per cent of the continent’s GDP (IFC). Internet in Africa is the new gold as it facilitates the growth of technology-driven sectors, transforming communities’ economies.

Internet in Africa is transforming economies of fast-growing countries that also record a large share of internet users in the region, such …