Global Metrics Miss the Mark on Africa’s Innovation Surge

In the last twenty years, African countries and development organizations have increasingly acknowledged the vital importance of science, technology, and innovation (STI) in fostering developmental efforts. These components enhance productivity, reduce transaction costs, create new entrepreneurial opportunities, and foster social cohesion. Moreover, they enable communities to tackle significant issues such as climate change and persistent poverty.

By 2020, over 25 African nations had established national STI policy frameworks, a remarkable rise from approximately 8 in 2010.

Assessing STI is crucial for policymakers to gauge the effectiveness of their investments. Ineffective metrics can hinder resource allocation, thus obstructing progress toward developmental goals in Africa.

Yet, are the governmental entities, development partners, and researchers in Africa focusing on the right metrics?

Our research team, dedicated to analyzing STI systems in South Africa, Nigeria, and other regions of Africa, set out to answer this question.

Recent findings suggest that many indicators used to evaluate innovation in Africa predominantly derive from high-income countries and may not be relevant.

To effectively address urgent challenges such as youth unemployment, food security, digital exclusion, and vulnerability to climate change, governments must rethink their measurement frameworks.

The Measurement Gap

While metrics like research and development spending, patent applications, and researcher numbers can provide useful insights, they often offer a limited viewpoint. These indicators usually reflect a formal, technology-focused innovation model characteristic of wealthier nations.

In contrast, many African economies are influenced by informal enterprises, grassroots creativity, and innovations driven by necessity.

A comprehensive review of 42 peer-reviewed studies published between 2008 and 2024 highlights that while interest in measuring STI in Africa is growing, it remains fragmented and superficial.

The majority of research focuses on South Africa and Nigeria, leaving other regions of the continent insufficiently examined. Moreover, even within these countries, there is a tendency to follow international benchmarks rather than develop context-specific approaches.

By utilizing bibliographic databases and searching for keywords such as “innovation” and “Africa,” we assessed the geographical representation of authors for the 42 studies in our dataset. Only countries with at least five publications were included, with Nigeria and South Africa being the sole qualifying nations from Africa.

Uncounted Innovations

A plethora of significant innovations throughout Africa occurs “behind the scenes” in farms, markets, workshops, and communities, rendering them difficult to quantify.

For instance, a mobile money agent in rural Kenya might devise a secure method for transferring funds without traditional banking systems, or a technician in Nigeria could adapt used engines to run on locally produced fuel blends. Such innovations are frequently overlooked by standard datasets.

This issue is not purely about visibility; it stems from a conceptual divide. Much of Africa’s innovation is incremental, necessity-driven, and focused on practical applications rather than formal research and development. Existing metrics fail to adequately capture these realities.

The Importance of Measurement

Why is it crucial to measure innovation in Africa? The answer lies in policy-making. The metrics employed can greatly influence funding, support, and the prioritization of initiatives. If African policymakers rely on indicators that overlook the informal sector or disregard local knowledge, they risk missing critical economic and social dynamics.

Furthermore, global development frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union STI Strategy for Africa necessitate accurate data to evaluate progress. Without reliable statistics that genuinely reflect conditions, Africa cannot effectively assess 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 identifies six essential action areas:

1. Align metrics with the Sustainable Development Goals: Indicators should reflect how innovation addresses real challenges such as access to clean water, renewable energy, and maternal health, rather than merely focusing on patent numbers.
2. Enhance data quality and governance: Many African countries lack robust data collection systems and require improved institutional capacity and community-engaged survey methods.
3. Acknowledge diverse forms of innovation: Innovation in Africa manifests in various forms, from grassroots creativity to digital platforms.
4. Prioritize the informal sector: This sector plays a crucial role in innovation and employs a substantial portion of Africa’s workforce. Projections by the International Labour Organization indicate that by 2024, 83% of jobs in Africa will belong to the informal economy.

Innovative projects in South Africa and Nigeria are already adapting innovation surveys to include informal businesses.

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

5. Monitor digitalization: Africa’s digital progress, marked by developments like mobile banking and e-health, is significant yet often poorly quantified.
6. Incorporate environmental sustainability: Green innovation is frequently neglected. As the impacts of climate change escalate, understanding how innovation can enhance resilience is equally important as promoting growth.

Learning from the Global South

Other regions have made notable advancements in innovation metrics. For example, Latin America introduced the Bogota Manual in the 1990s to tailor innovation metrics to local contexts. Similarly, emerging economies in Asia are investing heavily in innovative measurement strategies. Africa can learn invaluable lessons from these practices.

Our analysis indicates that most frequently cited research on African STI is written by scholars from outside the continent. It is vital for Africa to nurture a strong 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 populace, the continent is poised for transformative change. However, this transformation must be driven by data that accurately captures its realities.

To realize this, Africa must develop, evaluate, and institutionalize new metrics. This requires investment in local research, enhancing institutional frameworks, and fostering collaboration across countries and sectors.

Africa must define and articulate innovation according to its unique standards. Only then can its data inform policies that empower individuals, generate jobs, and improve 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).

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