TeXcellence 5.0: Why Africa Must Move from Digital Adoption to Ownership, Execution and Economic Value

The fifth edition of TeXcellence, organized by CWG Plc in Lagos, emphasized that Africa's digital future hinges on more than just technology adoption. Key factors include building, owning, and leveraging infrastructure, intellectual property, and institutions to transform innovation into sustainable economic value. The conference brought together policymakers, executives, and innovators to discuss how Africa can convert its growing digital capabilities into productive activities, employment, and competitive businesses.

Africa has indeed demonstrated its ability to develop technology-driven solutions, as evidenced by its mobile money ecosystem. However, significant challenges persist in areas such as computing infrastructure, broadband accessibility, digital skills, financing, and the ownership of intellectual property. TeXcellence 5.0 aimed to shift the conversation from merely discussing technological possibilities to identifying practical steps, investments, and partnerships necessary for digital transformation to succeed.

CWG Plc, with over 850 employees, has evolved from a hardware reseller to a Pan-African technology company offering various services. Their smart metering solutions and data center offerings highlight the importance of developing local expertise and solutions tailored to African needs. This evolution underscores that sustainable digital development in Africa requires more than just access to imported technology; it demands the creation of local capabilities and businesses that can sustainably deploy digital systems.

A crucial insight from the conference was articulated by Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, who noted that Africa's primary challenge is not innovation but scaling. Many innovative ideas originate from universities, startups, and research institutions, yet they often fail to secure funding, attract customers, comply with regulations, or achieve commercial deployment.

This scaling gap is a critical obstacle to translating innovation into tangible economic benefits. The conference underscored the importance of mechanisms that can help promising technologies progress from prototypes to commercially viable products, industrial applications, and measurable improvements in productivity. The economic data presented at TeXcellence supported this view.

Over $2 trillion in transactions moved through mobile money globally in 2025, with $1.4 trillion, or 66%, originating from sub-Saharan Africa. This success in financial technology illustrates Africa's potential to develop and scale solutions tailored to its unique economic context. Beyond finance, the potential of AI, digital public services, healthcare technology, and agricultural innovation in Africa is vast.

Mobile technology has already contributed approximately $240 billion to the continent's economy, representing about 7.8% of Africa's GDP and supporting roughly 13 million jobs. In Nigeria alone, the information and communications sector contributed 11.74% to real GDP in the second quarter of 2026. These figures suggest that Africa's digital transformation is gaining momentum, but the focus must remain on converting these digital capabilities into lasting economic value through effective implementation and local ownership.