At a time of rapid technological change and shifting global dynamics, questions of power, ownership and direction are becoming increasingly central to Africa’s future. As digital systems reshape economies and societies, the challenge is no longer simply one of access, but of agency: who defines the tools, the systems, and the terms on which they operate.
Few individuals have engaged with these questions as extensively as Professor Clement Dzidonu. A computer scientist, policy advisor and long-standing advocate for ICT-led development, he has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of education, technology and national strategy across Africa and beyond. As Founder of the African Futurist and Futures Institute (AFFI), he has played a central role in shaping approaches to digital education, research capacity and skills development, while his earlier work on Ghana’s ICT4AD policy helped lay the foundations for the country’s digital transformation.
Ahead of his keynote at eLearning Africa 2026, where he will speak alongside Ghana’s Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, we spoke with Professor Dzidonu about sovereignty in a digital age, the realities behind Africa’s innovation narrative, and what it will take for the continent to define its future on its own terms.
Framing the Moment
Professor Dzidonu, your keynote sets the tone for this year’s conference at a moment described as one of both geopolitical realignment and technological acceleration.
From your perspective, what makes this moment genuinely defining for Africa – and how does it differ from previous waves of technological change the continent has experienced?
I think what makes this moment different is that several forces are converging at the same time. You have rapid technological acceleration, a growing and increasingly young population, and shifts in global power dynamics all happening simultaneously.
What also sets this moment apart is the pace, the scale, and the level of interconnectedness. These changes are happening faster, across more sectors, and in a far more integrated way than we’ve seen before.
In earlier periods, Africa was largely reacting to change. Now, for the first time, there is a real opportunity not just to respond, but to shape outcomes.
But that ultimately depends on whether we move beyond simply participating and become more intentional about how we position ourselves within these systems.
You have spent over two decades shaping ICT policy and education systems across Africa. Looking back, do you believe the continent has meaningfully shifted its position in the global knowledge economy – or are we still, in many respects, operating within structures designed elsewhere?
There has definitely been progress. Africa is more visible, more connected, and more engaged than before.
But I would not yet describe it as a structural shift. Much of that engagement still happens within systems that were designed elsewhere.
So, while participation has increased, ownership remains limited. And that distinction is important.
The real shift will come when Africa moves from being a user of knowledge systems to becoming a producer and a shaper of them.
Sovereignty, Power and Control
The theme “Africa’s Time, Africa’s Terms” speaks directly to questions of sovereignty – but sovereignty in a digital age, in my opinion, is far from straightforward.
In practical terms, what does educational and technological sovereignty actually look like for African countries today? Where do we currently fall short?
Sovereignty today is really about control over capability. It’s about having the ability to design, adapt, and govern the systems that shape your development.
It’s not about isolation, and it’s not about rejecting global systems. It’s about being able to engage with those systems on your own terms.
Where we fall short is in depth of capability – particularly in areas like research, system design, infrastructure ownership, and knowledge production. Those are the foundations of real sovereignty.
There is increasing rhetoric around “African-led solutions,” yet much of the continent’s digital infrastructure, platforms and tools remain externally developed or controlled.
Are we at risk of mistaking participation for ownership?
In many cases, yes.
Using platforms is not the same as owning them. Adopting systems is not the same as shaping them.
When participation is not accompanied by ownership, it can create dependency. And over time, that dependency becomes structural.
You were instrumental in shaping Ghana’s ICT4AD policy – one of the continent’s early attempts at defining a national digital trajectory.
With the benefit of hindsight, what did that moment get right – and what, if anything, did it underestimate about the challenges of achieving true technological independence?
ICT4AD got one very important thing right – it recognised early that technology would be central to development, and it positioned ICT as an enabler across sectors.
What it underestimated was the depth of capability required to sustain that vision.
Adopting technology is the easier part. Building the human, institutional and systemic capacity to make it work over time is far more complex. And that is where the real challenge has been.
Systems, Capacity and Contradictions
Africa is often described as having the world’s youngest population as well as the greatest potential. At the same time, skills gaps and education-system constraints remain persistent.
In your view, what is the most fundamental disconnect between how African education systems are structured and what our economies actually require?
At the core, the disconnect is this: our systems are structured around certification, while our economies require capability.
Much of our education is still focused on content delivery and assessment. But what is actually needed is application, adaptability, and problem-solving.
So we end up producing graduates who are qualified, but not always prepared for the real demands of the job market – particularly in terms of capabilities such as skills, expertise, experience and practical know-how (SEEK).
You have argued that technology alone cannot solve development challenges without the right capacity and systems in place.
Where do you see the most critical bottlenecks today – is it infrastructure, policy execution, institutional leadership, or something more structural?
It is a systemic issue, but there are a few areas that stand out.
First is capability – not just at the surface level, but at depth and scale, and aligned with real-world needs.
Second is the alignment between learning and application. There is still a gap between what is taught and what is required in practice.
And third is institutional leadership – the willingness to rethink existing models, rather than simply trying to reform them incrementally.
Infrastructure and policy are important, but without capability and alignment, they don’t translate into meaningful impact.
Technology, AI and Dependency
Artificial intelligence now sits at the centre of global technological competition. For Africa, the stakes are particularly high.
Do you believe the continent is currently positioned to shape AI systems – or primarily to adopt and adapt them?
At this stage, Africa is largely adapting. There are emerging areas of innovation, but they are not yet at the scale required to influence global systems.
That is where the risk lies – if we remain at the level of adaptation, we limit our ability to shape outcomes.
There is growing concern that reliance on externally developed AI systems could deepen existing dependencies.
What are the real risks if Africa remains largely a consumer of AI rather than a producer?
The risks are quite significant.
If Africa remains primarily a consumer, we risk embedding external assumptions into our systems. We risk losing control over how decisions are made.
And more importantly, we risk deepening structural dependency.
AI is not just a tool – it is increasingly becoming infrastructure. And if you do not shape the infrastructure, then over time, the infrastructure shapes you.
Institutions and Leadership
As Founder of the African Futurist and Futures Institute (AFFI), and with experience in academia, you have overseen a significant expansion in research and postgraduate training, including the production of a growing number of PhD graduates.
How relevant do you feel formal tertiary training is in the age of AI where people have the ability to teach themselves anything?
Universities are still very relevant, but their role has to evolve.
They can no longer focus only on transmitting knowledge. Their role is now to develop capability – critical thinking, adaptability, and the ability to learn continuously.
AI and digital tools increase access to information, but they do not replace structured learning, mentorship, or intellectual development.
So, the question is not whether institutions remain relevant, but how they redefine their role in this new context.
You have worked closely with governments, multilateral organisations and academic institutions to name a few.
From that vantage point, where does leadership matter most today – at the policy level, the institutional level, or in entirely new forms of collaboration?
Leadership matters at multiple levels, but particularly at the level of design.
Policy provides direction, institutions shape experience, but what is most needed now is leadership that can connect vision to execution.
It is not enough to see differently – leaders also have to act differently.
The Hard Future
If Africa succeeds in aligning education, technology and policy, the opportunities are bright.
But if it does not – if systems remain fragmented and dependency deepens – what do you think the consequences are over the next decade?
The consequences will be structural.
We will continue to see a mismatch between learning and work. We will see rising unemployment alongside unmet opportunity.
We will also see increasing dependency on external systems, and a situation where potential is not fully realised.
These are not temporary challenges – they become embedded over time if not addressed.
You are often described as an African futurist.
When you look ahead 10 to 20 years, what gives you the greatest confidence?
What gives me confidence is Africa’s human potential – the scale, the energy, and the creativity.
If that potential is properly developed and enabled, Africa will not just participate in the future, it will help to shape it.
The concern is whether we are able to build the systems and capabilities required to support that potential at scale.
Closing Perspective
If “Africa’s Time” is to be more than a statement of intent, it will require difficult choices and clear priorities.
In your view, what is the one shift – whether in policy, education, mindset or other – that would have the most transformative impact if acted upon now?
A shift from access to capability.
If we focus on building real capability, then many other things begin to align – employment, innovation, productivity, and broader economic development.
And finally, if Africa is to define its future on its own terms, what must it be willing to do differently from the rest of the world?
Africa must be willing to imagine, design and shape its own future.
That does not mean rejecting global knowledge, but it does mean not depending on it uncritically.
It requires a willingness to rethink inherited models, and to move beyond adaptation towards intentional creation.
Because ultimately, the future will not be defined by what is available – but by what Africa chooses to build.
Interview conducted by Warren Janisch
