Beyond the Obvious: Casa África’s Role in a Changing Continent
It happens more often than you might think. In conversations with acquaintances or people I meet, someone will inevitably ask me: “So, what exactly does Casa África do?” My response usually involves asking a few questions of my own about their knowledge of the African continent, particularly the countries closest to us. Let me turn the tables and ask you a few questions.
The Digital Leap You Didn’t Know About
Did you know that in the last decade, internet penetration in Africa has made an exponential jump? It has surged from a mere 15-20% (primarily on 2G and 3G technology) to approximately 38-40%, with a notable advance in the adoption of 4G. Have you ever wondered why Africa has become a global powerhouse in financial inclusion, now accounting for more than 50% of the world’s mobile money accounts? In fact, ownership of mobile money accounts in Sub-Saharan Africa grew from 12% to 33% in just ten years.
West Africa’s Unstoppable Momentum
Can you imagine that the true potential of West Africa lies in the convergence of digital infrastructure and human talent? With millions of young people entering the digital labor market, a wave of youth entrepreneurship is emerging. This ambitious talent is eager to connect with the world, driving local solutions in agriculture and health.
Were you aware that a country as close as Mauritania has positioned itself as a transcontinental digital hub? This is thanks to the EllaLink submarine cable, which boasts a staggering capacity of 72 terabits per second. Crucially, this cable connects Europe and West Africa by passing through the Canary Islands, specifically Tenerife. This capacity is essential for low-latency digital services, which are critical for international-scale artificial intelligence and telemedicine.
A Continent Betting on Its Youth
The commitment to young African talent is on an unprecedented scale. For instance, Côte d’Ivoire aims to train one million programmers in five years. Meanwhile, Ghana already boasts more than 100 tech hubs. These centers specialize in areas like financial technology (fintech), digital health, and energy, creating a vibrant ecosystem that acts as a beacon for all the surrounding countries.
It’s also important to note that digitalization advances aren’t confined to the private sector. Countries like Côte d’Ivoire already have a biometric digital identity system that integrates about 18 million citizens. This system facilitates public, banking, and health procedures, thereby reinforcing digital sovereignty.
Smart Cities: An Imminent Reality
The development of ‘smart cities’ in West Africa is an imminent reality. Senegal is driving the ambitious Diamniadio Smart City, a new city under construction 30 kilometers east of Dakar. This project illustrates the ambition to create a modern city that integrates the latest technologies to become a model of sustainable urban development. The plan includes deploying 7,000 km of fibre optics and developing a high-grade national data centre, guaranteeing operational capacity for complex digital processes and artificial intelligence solutions.
Bridging the Gap: The Canary Islands-West Africa Tech Forum
I must confess that until recently, I was unaware of the answers to some of these questions. This realization highlights the fundamental importance of events like the one held this past Monday, November 24th, at Casa África. There, we brought together the public and private technology sectors from four West African nations—Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, and Senegal—and put them in dialogue with our own equally vibrant and dynamic public and private tech sector here in the Canary Islands.
I shared these compelling data points in my inaugural address at the Forum, alongside Luis Padilla, the Director General for Relations with Africa of the Government of the Canary Islands, and the directors general responsible for technological development from the four African countries. We called it the “Tech Hubs Canarias-West Africa Forum,” an action planned under the European AfricanTech project. This MAC Interreg project, led by Casa África, aims precisely to energize African tech sectors by connecting them with the Canarian ecosystem.
The AfricanTech Project: A Bridge for Mutual Growth
The main objective of AfricanTech is to improve the competitiveness and international positioning of small and medium-sized enterprises, both Canarian and African. It does this by strengthening their capacities in terms of innovation and digitalization, as well as contributing to economic, social, and institutional development in both regions. The benefits we expect to gain focus on fostering cooperation and collaboration between Canarian and African companies and institutions; transferring knowledge, experience, and best practices to converge and consolidate a common tech ecosystem; and creating employment in the technological sphere.
Acknowledging Challenges, Seizing Opportunities
Often in our writings, we have explained the immense work that remains to increase development across the African continent. We have noted, for example, that over 600 million people still lack access to electricity, and that rural connectivity in many Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is below 35%. This is entirely true, and it forces us to acknowledge that the economic gap with the continent is still devastating.
However, the feeling we were left with after dialoguing with African representatives of tech development policies and the companies excelling in this field is clear: a full-blown revolution is brewing in West Africa. It is currently the region with the highest digital growth rate on the continent.
Canarian Expertise Meets African Ambition
Gonzalo Piernavieja, Director of the Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias (ITC), detailed the potential beginning to show in West Africa. He also explained to the African participants the strengths that have made the Canary Islands a national benchmark in various fields of the technology sector. It is in one of these Canarian strengths that we find perhaps the greatest need of our neighbours: to advance towards inclusive development in West Africa, it is essential to deploy strategies that extend the benefits of digitalization beyond major urban centres and reach the dispersed population.
The challenge is not only to facilitate internet access but to ensure this connectivity drives improvement in vital sectors like access to energy and clean water—areas where Casa África and the ITC have traditionally worked. Therefore, investment must be directed both at expanding connectivity and guaranteeing energy supply, betting on innovative solutions like solar microgrids. This allows for true technological and social integration in all regions, leaving no one behind.
The Canary Islands: A Strategic Testing Ground and Gateway
The dynamism and enthusiasm we witnessed from the key players have convinced us that the potential of this tech ‘boom’ for the Canary Islands and for Spain as a whole represents significant opportunities for island-based companies. Our archipelago is strategically positioned to respond to this demand. We already have extensive experience in digital governance and are leaders in renewable energy, water, and agriculture.
Furthermore, as Piernavieja pointed out, the Canary Islands can act as a “testing ground” and also serve as a gateway to Europe for African startups. The interconnection of the Canary Islands’ data centres with those in West Africa, facilitated by cables like EllaLink, will take cooperation to levels we are only beginning to glimpse.
A Partnership of Equals
We are, therefore, in the ideal place at the perfect time for all these synergies we are trying to foster with projects like AfricanTech to yield positive results. And honestly, what fills us with the most pride is gradually teaching our companies and institutions that the exchange is mutual and, more than ever, one of equals. There is an entire digital ecosystem in our neighbouring countries from which we can learn a great deal. And that is a gigantic opportunity for everyone.
