Global Metrics Fall Short in Capturing Africa’s Innovation Momentum

In the last twenty years, African nations and development organizations have acknowledged the vital role of science, technology, and innovation (STI) in advancing development efforts. These components enhance productivity, reduce transaction costs, create new business opportunities, and foster social inclusion. Additionally, they enable communities to tackle urgent challenges such as climate change and persistent poverty.

By 2020, over 25 African countries had established national STI policy frameworks, marking a significant rise from around 8 in 2010.

Assessing STI is essential for policymakers to evaluate the success of their investments. Incorrect metrics can result in poor resource allocation, hindering progress toward Africa’s development goals.

However, are governmental agencies, development partners, and researchers in Africa focusing on the appropriate metrics?

Our research team, dedicated to analyzing STI systems in South Africa, Nigeria, and other African countries, set out to find an answer to this question.

Recent findings suggest that many of the indicators utilized to gauge innovation in Africa largely stem from high-income nations and may not be applicable.

To effectively tackle critical issues in Africa—such as youth unemployment, food shortages, digital exclusion, and climate vulnerability—governments must reassess their measurement methods.

The Measurement Gap

While metrics such as research and development expenditure, patent numbers, and researcher counts can yield beneficial insights, they tend to provide a limited viewpoint. These indicators often reflect a formal, technology-driven model of innovation typical in wealthier countries.

Conversely, many African economies are characterized by informal enterprises, local ingenuity, and necessity-driven solutions.

A thorough review of 42 peer-reviewed studies from 2008 to 2024 indicates that research on measuring STI in Africa is expanding, yet remains fragmented and lacking depth.

Most research focuses on South Africa and Nigeria, leaving many parts of the continent underexamined. Even within these two countries, there is often a tendency to follow international standards instead of creating localized alternatives.

By utilizing bibliographic databases and searching terms like “innovation” and “Africa,” we explored the geographic distribution of authors for the 42 studies in our sample. Only countries with a minimum of five publications qualified, with Nigeria and South Africa being the only eligible nations from Africa.

Uncounted Innovations

Many notable innovations in Africa occur “behind the scenes” in farms, markets, workshops, and communities, making them challenging to quantify.

For instance, a mobile money agent in rural Kenya might establish a secure system for transferring money without relying on traditional banking infrastructure, or a technician in Nigeria could adapt used engines to operate on locally-sourced fuel blends. These innovations are seldom captured by traditional datasets.

This issue extends beyond visibility; it stems from a conceptual gap. A significant portion of Africa’s innovation is incremental, driven by necessity, and focuses on practical applications rather than formal research and development or structured science. Current metrics fail to accurately depict these realities.

The Importance of Measurement

Why is measuring innovation in Africa critical? The answer lies in policy-making. The metrics utilized dictate how we fund, support, and prioritize initiatives. If African policymakers depend on indicators that overlook the informal sector or ignore indigenous knowledge, they risk overlooking essential economic and social dynamics.

Furthermore, global development frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union STI Strategy for Africa require accurate data to assess progress. Without reliable statistics that reflect true conditions, Africa cannot adequately evaluate how STI contributes to food security, healthcare, or climate resilience.

Towards a New Agenda

Where should we start measuring what truly matters in Africa?

Our research highlights six essential areas for action:

1. Align metrics with the Sustainable Development Goals: Indicators should reflect how innovation addresses real issues like clean water, renewable energy, and maternal health, rather than merely counting patents.
2. Enhance data quality and governance: Numerous African countries lack robust data collection frameworks and need improved institutional capacity and inclusive survey methodologies.
3. Recognize diverse forms of innovation: Innovation in Africa appears in various forms, ranging from grassroots creativity to digital enterprises.
4. Focus on the informal sector: This sector is crucial for innovation and employs a significant portion of Africa’s workforce. The International Labour Organization projects that by 2024, 83% of all jobs in Africa will exist within the informal economy.

Innovative initiatives in South Africa and Nigeria are already adjusting innovation surveys to encompass informal businesses.

For example, the Centre for Science, Technology, and Innovation Indicators in South Africa conducted its initial comprehensive innovation survey in the informal sector in 2018, with a similar initiative planned in Nigeria.

5. Monitor digitalization: Africa’s digital transformation, exemplified by innovations like mobile banking and e-health, is significant yet frequently inadequately measured.
6. Integrate environmental sustainability: Green innovation is often overlooked. As the consequences of climate change intensify, understanding how innovation can bolster resilience is as important as promoting growth.

Learning from the Global South

Other regions have made progress in innovation metrics. For instance, Latin America developed the Bogota Manual in the 1990s to tailor innovation metrics to local contexts. Similarly, emerging economies in Asia are investing heavily in new measurement strategies. Africa can learn valuable lessons from these experiences.

Our analysis reveals that the majority of highly cited research on African STI is authored by scholars based outside the continent. It is essential for Africa to nurture a robust community of local researchers who can develop theories and evidence relevant to its unique innovation landscape.

A Call to Action

With the African Continental Free Trade Area, rapid urbanization, and a youthful population, the continent stands on the brink of transformative change. However, this transformation must be guided by data that accurately reflects its realities.

To achieve this, Africa must create, assess, and institutionalize new metrics. This necessitates investment in local research, strengthening institutional frameworks, and promoting collaboration across nations and sectors.

Africa must define and articulate innovation according to its own standards. Only then can its data inform policies that empower individuals, create jobs, and enhance resilience.

Abiodun Egbetokun, Senior Lecturer, Business Management, De Montfort University; David Adeyeye, Deputy Director, National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM); Glenda Kruss, Executive Head of the Centre for Science, Technology, and Innovation Indicators, Human Sciences Research Council; Il-haam Petersen, Chief Research Specialist, Human Sciences Research Council; Maruf Sanni, Deputy Director, Research, National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM).

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.