Africa, as a result, is on the cusp of a great leap forward as it rapidly bridges the technology divide that has historically held its progress back. Even needing to overcome mammoth obstacles, like funding and supply chain crises, the continent’s creators continue to look for ways to design a better world. One such innovator, Oluwatosin Kolade, is a perfect demonstration of the resourcefulness that’s needed to overcome these obstacles in order to harness technology’s potential.
Kolade’s path to becoming an engineer started with a desire to create solutions out of anything he had access to. His story illustrates the challenges faced by students and researchers all across Africa. CDA has found that youth face immense barriers, like dire lack of access to hardware and financial resources. Shipping choices have been altered almost completely. Today, the low-cost deliveries often take 60 days or longer, and expedited deliveries can run to multiple times the cost of the actual hardware.
When it comes to hardware, the challenges are overwhelming. What we desperately need are sustainable international solutions that can both foster Africa’s future drivers of innovation. From Tanzania to Rwanda, the continent is brimming with talent and potential in the realms of computer science and electronics engineering. To realize this upside, we need to clear these barriers.
The Ongoing Challenges
And yet, even with these advancements, students in Africa still face enormous challenges in obtaining the necessary hardware to bring their projects to life. Supply chain delays, import duties, and no such thing as an in-town vendor—but keep up the process. This clear but common curriculum reality tends to restrict students such as Kolade in obtaining the required parts. They often have to turn abroad for help, mostly to suppliers in China, Europe or the United States.
Kolade’s experiences highlight these challenges. He struggled to fund his undergraduate projects, as he didn’t have money to play with. Too many students struggle with these same barriers. Now they can’t even get the basic electronic components they need to continue learning and innovating. Yet the gap between unveiling new interesting technologies and their actual availability to Africans is still wide. This delay further serves to stifle innovation on both sides of the continent.
Beyond that, the AirQo project has become a beacon of optimism despite these discouraging developments. It opens students’ eyes to tremendous tools like 3D printers, soldering stations, and simple conductive sensor boards. Initiatives such as AirQo are important in connecting the dots between aspiration and reality for budding African engineers.
The Need for Innovation
To meet these challenges head on, Africa needs to find creative solutions focused on achieving rapid hardware access for students and researchers. Joint actions between education systems, public authorities, and private actors can open the path towards better technology access. By leveraging local resources and fostering partnerships with international suppliers, stakeholders can help mitigate supply chain issues that currently plague the continent.
Further, by strengthening our local manufacturing capacity, we can lessen our dependence on imports even more. Investing in local production of electronic components and hardware will generate skilled, high-tech jobs in African countries. That’s how this new approach empowers innovators and ensures they’re equipped to do what they do best. This will accelerate the rollout of digital technology across the whole continent. It will create a boisterous spirit of creativity and innovation.
Investing in education is equally critical. By making sure that students have enough money to bring their ideas into reality, we create opportunities for innovation in fields across disciplines. Increased scholarships, grants and other financial assistance to attract and inspire the next generation of engineers will help fuel future innovators and world leaders.
A Bright Future Ahead
Inspite of all the many issues affecting Africa’s tech scene, the opportunities for computer science and electronics engineering is without end. To counter these challenges, African nations should proactively work to ensure better hardware access. By taking these actions, states can lead innovation and establish themselves as global technology leaders.
Oluwatosin Kolade’s story is a compelling testament to the magic that can happen when barriers are recognized and removed. By focusing on sustainable solutions to funding, supply chain issues, and hardware accessibility, Africa can unlock its full potential and contribute meaningfully to global technological advancements.