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INDUSTRY

Industrialising Africa:

The Options

he global industrial benevolence of natural resources
development reportage and endowment.
and living standard
indices of Sub-Saharan For industrial development,
TAfrican countries have infrastructure is key; but how robust
been neither impressive nor is electric power supply in most
complementing. Sub-Saharan African countries? How accessible
African countries are mostly found are African cities within a particular
in the lower rungs of industrial country, within a region and across
development leagues. There are only the continent? How developed are
a few individual achievements in the our waterways and air transport
fields of science and technology. network? These and more basic
Contributions from African countries questions stare us in the face and
to global technology growth and need to be addressed in order to
knowledge are infinitesimal. build a resilient substructure that can
support inclusive and sustainable
It is little wonder that lately, Africa industrialisation. Without technology,
has been called unprintable names by leaders of the there cannot be industrialisation and without industrialisation,
developed world. It is unimaginable how African leaders and development cannot happen. Thus, as Africa, we may not join
citizens of this continent can continue to sleep with both the league of the developed world.
eyes closed and not bother about their global worth and
significance. Must Africa continue to be a liability to the rest If we consider the industrial revolution of the world and
of the world? development trends, it becomes obvious that we have
missed the first, second and third industrial and technological
The industrial development of Africa must be discussed revolutions. It becomes even more dramatised when one
now by the younger African generations so that they can follows the fall outs of the revolution phases. If we are to
force the enthronement of policies, resolutions and credible make any progress, it is imperative that we leapfrog onto
development roadmaps and paths. This is the time for a the train and leverage on the knowledge available in today’s
paradigm shift from our lethargic past and an opportunity world. See Fig 1.
to face the industrial development challenge. This can be
done singly or collectively but should be integrated regionally The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
and holistically in order to mobilise and exert a critical and (UNIDO) and the rest of the world are hoping that ‘’In the
impressive influence. If followed with minimum distraction, coming decades, radical innovations such as mobile Internet,
this paradigm shift can take Africa to higher heights. the Internet of Things [IoT] and cloud computing are likely
to revolutionise production processes and enhance living
Africa’s path to industrialisation cannot follow the exact path standards in Africa.” Li Yong, the Director General of UNIDO
to development as other continents. However, lessons learnt on The Sustainable Development Goal has corroborated the
from others can help to shape the path chosen while taking same view.
into consideration the current world development order and

51 The Africa We Want