Africa鈥檚 immense wealth in mineral and natural resources has powered its economy for generations. But the world is moving rapidly to a more sustainable, less resource-intense future.

As we celebrate Africa Month the question is: can African economies adapt to ensure the continent can thrive and prosper well into the next century?

Africa produced听more than half the world鈥檚 diamonds in 2020, with countries such as Botswana and SA continuing their leading role in the global diamond market. In the 1970s SA alone produced two-thirds of the world鈥檚 gold, a legacy that continues, though the country has been overtaken by China, Australia and, closer to home, Ghana.

The continent isn鈥檛 endowed only with abundant legacy resources such as diamonds and gold. Many of the minerals needed to power next-generation technologies are also abundant in Africa.

The Democratic Republic of Congo alone accounted for nearly two-thirds (63%) of the world鈥檚 cobalt in 2019. Its production of lithium 鈥� a crucial manufacturing component of smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles 鈥� is expected to grow from 40,000 tonnes in 2023听to nearly half a million tonnes by the end of the decade.听However, Africa鈥檚 resources are finite. African countries will eventually have to move away from their reliance on resource extraction to power their economies.

Some experts听already suggest the world has reached peak gold production and that the volume of gold produced per year will decline from now.听This is bad news for a continent that heavily relies on the revenue generated by its natural resources.听A UN report says听Africa鈥檚 mining sector contributed nearly 7% of the continent鈥檚 GDP in 2017. Minerals represented 62% of exports in 2019.

But what if Africa was already endowed with a natural resource to beat all others, one that can end the continent鈥檚 reliance on digging for wealth and power its economy through innovation, ingenuity and productivity?

What if the continent’s abundance of youthful talent could be mobilised?听Africa鈥檚 population will grow with astonishing speed throughout this century. While populations in more developed regions stagnate and decline, Africa鈥檚 youthful population thrives. From 2020 and 2050 1.2-billion people are expected to be added to Africa鈥檚 population. By 2100, UN data predicts that the continent鈥檚 population will reach 4.3-billion,听more than three times more than now.

Bear in mind that the revenue gap is not due to technical limitations on realising the effect of the next wave of technological innovation 鈥� artificial intelligence, connected devices, intelligent enterprises 鈥� but rather a lack of skilled talent to implement and manage these technologies.听It’s therefore not a stretch to say Africa鈥檚 greatest natural resource is its talented, youthful workforce.听A study by Gallup found that digital听skills generate $18.5-trillion in annual economic value, or 12% of global GDP. The same study found that advanced digital workers have higher rates of job satisfaction and feel more secure in their jobs than less digitally-able workers.

Mobilising the youthful workforce through rapid and extensive digital skills development holds the key to unlocking the continent’s vast economic potential.听African countries should invest some of the revenue generated from their natural resources in building digital skills capacity. Infrastructure such as 5G internet and extensive mobile coverage is essential, especially in countries where legacy fixed-line infrastructure is lacking.

A government-led national digital skills strategy should be a priority for every education department all over the continent.听Public-private partnerships that enable collaboration between governments and the corporate sector can help focus efforts, ensuring that any digital skills development initiatives meet real-world business needs and produce talent that can easily be absorbed into the formal economy.

Private sector organisations can partner with social enterprises and non-profit organisations that build or enhance digital skills. 麻豆原创鈥檚 partnership with the Siyafunda Community Technology Centres, for example, has benefited 30-million youth and adults through digital programmes at 240 centres.

Organisations should also champion their own digital skills development efforts to ensure they have access to work-ready digital skills. The 麻豆原创 Skills for Africa training programme delivered nearly 2,000 work-ready graduates in 22 African countries, with a 95% employment rate post-graduation.

Efforts at expanding access to digital learning opportunities should also continue. For example, Africa Code Week has provided basic coding training to 14.6-million African youth in 48 countries. And with a girl participation rate of 47%, the initiative has also made great strides in enabling digital learning opportunities for all who can benefit.

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But the past year has not been without its lessons. Our work with customers across Africa and the world has revealed several vital learnings and provide a glimpse into what we can expect in the year ahead.

My predictions for the year ahead include:

Prediction 1: Digital transformation will continue (but with new rules)

Last year moved the value of digital technologies to the top of every business leader’s agenda. Those organisations that had already invested in digital transformation could adapt more quickly and with greater resilience to the changes forced on us by the pandemic.

In 2021, organisations continued their digital transformation efforts, with remote and hybrid work models as well as digital customer engagement high on African enterprises’ agendas.

In 2022, organisations will ramp up their investments into digital technologies, but with one significant change: the days of large, lengthy, difficult and costly technology implementations are largely over. In their place is a new, more accountable model of engagement between organisations and their technology partners.

Technology providers will need to shift attention away from pure quarterly sales targets to a longer-term view of sales and performance. Customer engagements should focus less on products and features, and more on developing a deeper understanding of each customer’s challenges and building trust over the longer term.

This change will put pressure on tech providers and their implementation partners, as it requires fundamental changes to their operating models as well as new skillsets.

Prediction 2: We will all be leaders in the fight against climate change

With the Earth now 1.1掳C warmer than it was in the 1800s, countries and individuals face a mammoth task in changing course and bringing the world on to a more sustainable path. The IMF estimates the cost of adapting to climate change in developing countries may reach $300bn by the end of the decade, while productivity losses due to heat stress reducing total working hours potentially leading to a global GDP cut of $2.4tn by 2030.

While it is encouraging that more business leaders are directly addressing sustainability – the topic is now 44% more common in corporate earnings calls than three years ago – what is urgently needed is action.

麻豆原创 believes nothing less than a complete reinvention of the global economy will be required to create a world that stays within the 1.5掳C threshold and so limits the damage of climate change.

Every organisation can choose to be an exemplar and drive change through exhibiting behaviours and making decisions that put sustainability front and centre, for example by becoming carbon neutral. This form of climate leadership can inspire others and pave the way to a more equitable and sustainable future.

For a lucky few, including 麻豆原创, there is also the opportunity to be enablers, through the provision of tools, technologies and services that replace outdated and harmful business practices and power the circular economy.

麻豆原创’s Climate 21 software package, for example, allows our customers to measure and analyse the CO2 emissions directly associated with individual products they offer. Similarly Ariba, the world’s largest business network with $3.75tn in annual trade, can provide greater transparency in enterprise supply chains to enable organisations to make informed decisions over which suppliers prioritise sustainability.

Prediction 3: Innovation will be crucial (but not in the way you expect)

The word ‘innovation’ usually conjures up images of the world’s most ground-breaking companies, ones that invent products and services that create entire new industries, or new solutions that transform existing industries.

However, in 2022 a different type of innovation will be required. To meet our current and future challenges and deal with ongoing uncertainty and disruption, organisations will need to embed a culture of innovation that cuts across the organisation and transforms how people think about the challenges and opportunities they face.

Organisations will need to drive innovation in how they work with their customers, in how they approach sales, in how they provide continuous support, and a myriad other ways.

Such changes will be difficult and could lead to further disruption, so business leaders will have to ensure they keep the business in balance while building trust internally and externally throughout the change process.

Prediction 4: Our technology tools will mature to give us the best of all worlds

One of the common remarks we encounter in the boardrooms of Africa’s leading enterprises is the concept of best-of-breed. Organisations rightfully want to acquire the very best technology solutions to meet their needs and drive change and efficiency throughout the business.

Increasingly, business leaders are speaking of best-of-suite, which means choosing individual components of various different technology solutions and combining them in unique ways that are designed to deliver maximum value to the business.

In 2022, expect greater integration of technology solutions from different providers. For example, 麻豆原创’s position as the leader in enterprise resource planning through our flagship S/4HANA solution makes us a natural choice for hundreds of thousands of global organisations.

In response to the demands from our customers, 麻豆原创 has invested heavily in integration to allow our customers the freedom to integrate the solutions of their choice with any of our technologies.

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I am encouraged by the continent鈥檚 rich history of innovation and ingenuity. After all, Africa is the cradle of humankind, where stone tools were first invented (2.6 million years ago in modern Ethiopia), papyrus was invented by the Egyptians more than 5听000 years ago, and where the world鈥檚 first university 鈥� in 859 鈥� was created in Morocco.

Today, Africa is more prosperous than at any other time in history, with more children having access to education opportunities, fewer people living in extreme poverty, and most people living in democracies.

A shining example of the continent鈥檚 willingness to meet our shared challenges, which include greater employment opportunities, economic growth, education, and mitigating the impact of climate change, is Africa鈥檚 vibrant ecosystem of social enterprises that put people before profit and strive to solve the issues we collectively face.

As we mark the hosting of the 2021 Social Enterprise World Forum, which took place in late September, it is important that we note the role such enterprises play in Africa, and identify ways in which the public and private sector can support the growth of this critical sector.

Understanding the role of social enterprises

What constitutes a social enterprise? According to one South African study, a typical social enterprise is purpose-driven, is not reliant on grants and handouts, and has a particular identity that shies away from being bundled along with normal businesses, charities or NGOs.

At the previous Social Enterprise World Forum held in Ethiopia in 2019, public and private sector leaders from around the world recognised the important role social enterprises play in addressing socio-economic issues.

In Ethiopia alone, data suggests that half of the country’s estimated 55 000 social enterprises are led by people under the age of 35, and more than a quarter (28%) are women-led.

Youth unemployment in particular remains an issue in most African countries. With the world’s largest youth population – – ensuring gainful and sustainable work opportunities for youth remains a key priority for the continent.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, social enterprises are estimated to directly create between 28 and 41 million jobs. In fact, based on available data, .

Social enterprises can therefore play an important role in addressing youth unemployment. One report estimates that the 141 500 social enterprises in South Africa directly employ 590 000 people, a figure that is expected to grow to 666 000 direct jobs by 2030.

Considering the country鈥檚 urgent need for youth employment opportunities – the latest official data suggest 鈥� the impact that social enterprises could have on youth employment should not be underestimated.

Social enterprises inspire hope

Take the example of the Siyafunda Community Technology Centres. Siyafunda, an Africa Code Week (ACW) partner, is a social enterprise providing a network of community centres that extend access to computers, the Internet and digital technologies to local communities where such access may be lacking.

In addition to its work with Africa Code Week (ACW), Siyafunda provides accredited digital ICT courses and skills training, business and entrepreneurial skills development, adult literacy programs and e-learning facilities.

Vitally, Siyafunda enjoys the benefits of a robust ecosystem of partners, including local, provincial and national government, schools, universities, and private and social organisations.

With research indicating that , improving support for social enterprises could have far-reaching positive consequences for youth employment and skills development across the continent.

Support needed to ensure social enterprise success

As with any emerging small business or start-up, social enterprises face the daunting task of survivability, especially during the early stages of its growth. A study conducted in Mexico found that 83.5% of social enterprises in that country failed within three years. .

A World Bank report found that South Africa was the only country in sub-Saharan Africa that explicitly recognises social enterprises in policy, and recommended that it supports existing initiatives, programs and capacity building, including at universities and NGOs with a view to growing the social enterprise ecosystem and improving its chances of success.

Governments can certainly play a vital role in supporting social enterprises, but the private sector can make valuable contributions too. Private sector support 鈥� via investment, technology and skills transfer 鈥� could accelerate the impact social enterprises make.

This shouldn鈥檛 be a CSR project or peripheral activity: companies must link their support for social enterprises to their core business to ensure relevance and sustainable impact.

For example, larger enterprises could build this type of support into their supply chain processes by committing a percentage of their procurement spend to social enterprises. Leveraging the size and reach of the Ariba network 鈥� which supports more than double the commerce of Amazon, Alibaba and eBay combined 鈥� could give enterprises an accessible entry point to grow their businesses.

麻豆原创, for example, launched its 5x5x25 initiative, which commits 5% of our global procurement to social enterprises and 5% to diverse businesses by 2025. The initiative is designed to leverage corporate support from B2B procurement and technology to give social enterprises a boost and increase their impact.

Considering that (compared to only 27% of for-profit enterprises) and that 35% of social enterprises purposely support vulnerable population groups (compared to only 7% of for-profit enterprises) support for social enterprises can have far-reaching positive consequences for countries, communities and the continent.

Now is the time for private sector leaders to step up and play an active role in the success and growth of Africa鈥檚 social enterprise sector.

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听

The year 2020 will be remembered by teachers around the world as one of adapting to new circumstances and technology. But while in developed countries, online learning merely presented challenges, in Africa the effect was catastrophic. About on the continent were closed, resulting in . On a continent which already displays wide disparities in wealth and access to technology, a disruption of this magnitude was a major setback.

The need to upskill teachers

In fact, most teachers cited a lack of access to technology and affordability issues as the biggest barrier they faced to teach their students online during the pandemic. Before COVID, many African teachers had received . The lockdown forced them to in order to support learners, parents and caregivers so that learning could proceed, despite the uncertainty caused by the virus.

The fact that many new teachers lack digital skills is precisely why the need to upskill them is so crucial. Teachers have enormous potential to bridge the digital divide in Africa. With our annual (ACW), whose launch coincides with World Teacher鈥檚 Day, 麻豆原创 and global partners such as UNESCO, the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and Irish Aid, bring together a wealth of talent to train African teachers and students in coding and 21^st century skills. Last year the program reached . More than 10 500 workshops were hosted across 43 countries and 21 000 teachers were mobilised through virtual and in-person Train-the-Trainer sessions.

Teaching digital fluency

听One of the driving forces behind the ACW initiative is to see African countries adopt coding as part of their school curriculum. In a survey conducted among participating countries in 2020, , and ten more indicated they are planning to incorporate coding soon. The survey also found that 87% of respondents agreed that听ACW听plays an influential role in advancing the adoption of coding as a school subject.

Through the initiative鈥檚 Train-the-Trainer sessions with learners, ACW is simplifying what has historically been perceived as a highly technical area. Learning how to code is like learning a new language, a language which opens doors into the 21^st century and beyond. African teachers need to be empowered to combine traditional and digital literacy in their classrooms, so that students not only learn to read and write, but to develop their creativity to experiment and find solutions which help them engage better with the world around them.

Since inception in 2015, what we have learned from ACW is that it involves participants who would normally have had no exposure to coding, apart from consuming applications on their smart phones or computers. Coding is relevant to all industries in today鈥檚 globalised economy and as a result, digital skills need to be constantly refreshed. Through our innovative public-private partnerships, we firmly believe that by sharing skills and knowledge, we will empower Africans 鈥� both teachers and learners 鈥� to take control of their futures.

There is little doubt that teachers are key to rebuilding society post-COVID because of their inestimable power to reimagine the future and reshape young people鈥檚 lives. To do this, African teachers will need to embrace the technology at their disposal in order for students to get the quality education they need to face the rigours of the digital world. African education must find new models that foreground virtual teaching to cushion it against future disruptions. As ADEA Executive Secretary Albert Nsengiyumva so aptly puts it, 鈥淭oday, more than ever before, we need to adapt as quickly as possible to crises and look for alternatives to advance education and training in Africa.鈥�

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Are African enterprises at risk of extinction, just as millions of natural species face extinction due to the impact of climate change?听Businesses and countries across the continent are attempting to rebuild after the devastation caused by the pandemic. It is perhaps an opportune time to take stock of whether we are rebuilding in a way that will ensure our sustainability in the long term, economically and environmentally.

When economic activity tapered down in 2020 due to the Covid-19 lockdowns, researchers noted a drop in global emissions. For a moment it appeared that the pandemic would be a catalyst for a more sustainable and less environmentally harmful global economy. However, our modern lifestyle 鈥� in many cases the very basis of global economic activity 鈥� is undermining progress made during the quieter periods of 2020. Environmentalists decried a sharp increase in deforestation last year, despite the slowdown in overall economic activity. New research also found that the average meat-eating, coffee-drinking Westerner is responsible for the loss of听four trees annually听as forests are cleared for cattle and high-profit crops.

Recent data indicates that the volume of听greenhouse gas emissions will continue to grow unless there is a change in policy and business practices. So far, we have not risen to the occasion with commendable urgency. A recent Oxford study found that only $368bn of the $14.6-trillion in recovery spending during 2020 was green, with one study author saying the findings are 鈥渁 wake-up call鈥�.

Africa is expected to be one of the hardest-hit continents in terms of climate change. Our reliance on agriculture, outdated or lack of infrastructure and low levels of development leave us more vulnerable than many more developed regions.

Miracle intervention

Our business sector is also at risk.听In the mid-2000s, as digital technologies and social media started entering the mainstream, analysts and industry experts dedicated vast column centimetres to predicting which products and business models would not survive the digital revolution.

One article from 2007 predicted the demise of several types of businesses, including record stores and newspapers.听Many of the predictions were correct: record stores were first disrupted by iTunes and then, more recently, by streaming services. Most have shut doors. Newspapers, though still very much around, look vastly different, with most of newsroom efforts going into digital platforms. Many other types of businesses have had to either reinvent themselves or close down.

The point of the predictions was that, barring some miracle intervention, these business models would go extinct due to a combination of technology, innovation and changing consumer habits.

These predictions were made during a period of relative calm, before the global financial crisis of 2008. Fast-forward to now and I would argue you could list hundreds, even thousands, of business models facing extinction. The accelerated pace of technological progress, the rise of the data-empowered consumer, the proliferation of smartphones, the changing climate and, recently, the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus pandemic have created a storm of disruption and uncertainty.

As we collectively try to build back after the devastation of the pandemic, do we risk losing sight of our longer-term priorities, and could we be sacrificing sustainability at the altar of short-term profit? In short, yes. But there is time to course correct, albeit very little time. How can we as a business community respond to the dual challenge of economic and environmental sustainability? Start by acknowledging that the opposite of extinction is sustainability, and build sustainability into the fabric of the business.

Closer relationships

Business leaders should define a clear purpose and ensure that the purpose transcends narrow, short-term interest in favour of longer-term success. Develop a compelling vision 鈥� or reason to believe 鈥� about the purpose and bring it to life in all aspects of the business. Reframe your business objectives away from short-term wins and towards more sustainable, long-term outcomes. Realise that this requires a fundamental culture change and strong, visionary leadership.

For example, sales teams should look beyond quarterly sales targets and instead focus on developing closer relationships with customers with the aim of establishing constant exchanges of value over longer periods.

Instead of slavishly working to generate shareholder value, take a more balanced view and strive for success across social, environmental and financial metrics, the so-called triple bottom line. This may mean sacrifices in the short term, but will lead to greater success in future and help foster closer collaboration between organisations and their customers. It requires that managers and business leaders support their teams in achieving longer-term targets, which in most cases depend on a shift in organisational culture.

Evaluate supply chains and ensure every partner, supplier and provider places the same premium on sustainability. Where possible, work with and support the growth of social enterprises, which are businesses built from the ground up with purpose and sustainability at their core.

Consider the role of technology in aligning everyday decisions to sustainable outcomes.听Building intelligent enterprise capabilities that allow for the seamless integration of new technologies to a powerful digital core also gives organisations the flexibility and adaptability to overcome new challenges and act on business priorities quicker and with greater accuracy.

Driven by purpose and with greater agility and adaptability enabled by technology, African enterprises can switch from survival mode to long-term success while bringing the continent 鈥� and the world 鈥� closer to a more sustainable society, one that works for all.听But time is running out.

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While we鈥檙e still dealing with the disruptive events of this year, I would argue that Africa鈥檚 moment has finally come. How we act over the coming months will echo across a generation. Take the correct steps now, and we could unlock the continent鈥檚 vast potential. Miss the opportunity, and we could see ongoing instability and lack of prospects for millions.

It won鈥檛 be easy. Our challenges are immense, and have only been intensified by this year鈥檚 events.

The pandemic has accelerated some of the social, economic and political changes that emerged from the 2008 global financial crisis.听, there remains a growing frustration with organisations that focus only on generating profits without addressing social problems, aiding political stability and mitigating the unintended consequences of the technologies they develop.

This has created a lack of trust between the public and the institutions that are meant to serve them. The pandemic has worsened the situation by further polarising people along political and social lines. It is not a stretch to say public trust is at historic lows.

Transforming leadership and business

And yet, we need to collaborate and work together to repair the damage wrought by the events of 2020.

This may require a new form of leadership, one that acknowledges the interconnectedness of purpose and profit, and turn purpose into a core thread of the organisational fabric. It requires greater collaboration between the private sector, government, social enterprises and NGOs.

And it requires a total transformation in how we build, run and manage our businesses.

How can organisations reimagine themselves to fit into this wildly different world?

Companies that prioritised digital transformation before this year鈥檚 lockdowns were implemented had a chance at navigating the stormy seas of 2020. Those that hadn鈥檛 have been left adrift as constant change and widespread disruption end the prospect of business-as-usual.

Digital transformation a 鈥榮urvival tool鈥�

Today, digital transformation simply means one thing: survival.

Organisations need access to new tools and technologies to deal with new challenges and opportunities emerging from a constantly-changing business environment.

Looking ahead, organisations will need to approach digital transformation in new ways. All leaders and executives should be well-versed in the language of technology and understand its impact on the organisation. There鈥檚 no such thing as a business strategy or an IT strategy: they are one and the same.

It鈥檚 not up to IT to tell the organisation where to prioritise its digital transformation next. These decisions will shape the future of the organisation, and should be approached from a business strategy perspective.

What new markets do we want to unlock? What new customers do we want to find? What new services do we want to introduce to the market? And, importantly, what role does technology play in enabling all of this?

Growing skills crisis

We need to radically transform our approach to skills development and employment. Youth unemployment could quickly become a crisis to rival that of the pandemic. Africa introduces ten to twelve million youth into the labour force per year, but听.

According to the International Labour Organisation,听. In South Africa, youth unemployment is at the worst levels of anywhere in the world.听. This is an unfolding tragedy beyond compare.

New partnerships need to be established to fast-track digital skills development among our youth, or we risk widespread social instability. Africa has the largest and fastest-growing youth population in the world. We are the envy of developed nations where population growth has plateaued, creating skills shortages in many countries.

Our current approaches are not working. The private sector needs to step up by expanding skills development and job creation opportunities to allow more of our youth to access formal employment. We need to work closely with our public sector partners and each other to ensure we mobilise the continent鈥檚 vast and largely untapped human capital resources.

Unlocking social enterprise potential

We need to transform how the private sector procures goods and services. Corporate procurement networks command trillions of dollars in buying power – just the commerce value on 麻豆原创鈥檚 global Ariba network alone totals $3.46-trillion a year.

Allocating even one percent of that procurement spend to social enterprises could make a tremendous impact on unemployment, especially among the continent鈥檚 youth.

In line with that, we need to enhance our support of social enterprises, and we need to make this a core and sustainable part of our business strategy. In the UK, social enterprises account for 拢60-billion of the economy, contributing 3% of its GDP and 5% of its employment. In France, this jumps to 8% GDP and more than 10% of employment.

Unlocking even a fraction of that potential could have huge positive impact for millions in Africa. There鈥檚 no shortage of social enterprises to support – it鈥檚 up to us, the private sector, to identify and support suitable social enterprises and fulfil our duty of purpose over profit.

We face a tremendous challenge over the coming months and years as we repair the damage wrought by the 2020 pandemic. But our challenges are not insurmountable. By transforming how we conduct business, by prioritising skills development, and by unlocking the vast potential of purpose-driven businesses and social enterprises, 2020 could become a catalyst for Africa鈥檚 success and growth.

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Perhaps this explains our rich capacity for invention and innovation. Or perhaps it鈥檚 our youthfulness: Africa is, after all, the world鈥檚 most youthful continent, with more than half of all people under the age of 25 expected to live on the continent by 2050.

By then, Africa鈥檚 population would have doubled, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for a quarter of the world鈥檚 people. This is creating unique challenges for our growth, sustainability, development and participation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The dawn of a new decade is an opportune time to take stock of the challenges ahead and how we respond to them, as this will set the tone for the next ten years.

So what鈥檚 in store for digitally connected African businesses and consumers in 2020?

The reinvention of the enterprise

African organisations are using the technological building blocks of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to reinvent themselves as intelligent enterprises. Driven by greater cloud adoption, in-memory capabilities and powerful new technologies such as AI and IoT, the intelligent enterprise transforms data into action to deliver exceptional experiences across every line of business.

This was clear by the projects that some of the leading African enterprises showcased at the recent Quality Awards, an annual awards programme recognising the best and most innovative business transformation projects built on 麻豆原创 technologies.

By using powerful technology tools 鈥� cloud, AI, real-time analytics, and more 鈥� these organisations have transformed how they deliver services and experiences to customers, engage with employees, and collaborate with partners.

It鈥檚 also reshaping the agriculture sector, where a breakthrough IoT deployment helped one of the region鈥檚 top sugar cane producers and processors to more sustainably use scarce water resources and improve their overall efficiencies. How Africa鈥檚 large-scale food producers put technology to use to navigate the complexities of climate change and changing market forces will play an important role in our food security in the coming decade.

Supporting the growth of micro-enterprises

Let鈥檚 not forget the little guy: across Africa, hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers are being equipped with mobile applications that connect them to various suppliers in the agri value chain as well as greater market opportunities, and access to farming best practice and weather information.

Why? Smallholder farmers account for 80% of all food consumed in Africa. Giving them access to increased market opportunities establishes them as micro enterprises, which is where the majority of economic upliftment and job creation opportunities still reside. And with access to better information and inputs, as well as greater opportunity to sell produce at higher prices, smallholder farmers can build more sustainable futures for them, their families and the millions who rely on them for fresh produce.

Social impact, purpose

There is also a new breed of enterprise that is gaining traction worldwide. At a recent visit to the Social Enterprise World Forum in Ethiopia, delegates were inspired by new thinking around what an enterprise is – and can be. Social enterprises are purpose-led yet for-profit businesses focused on addressing socio-economic challenges by uplifting communities, accelerating progress and creating job opportunities.

Expect large purpose-led enterprises to support the growth of social enterprises through improved procurement practices, knowledge transfer, social sabbatical programs and resource-sharing in the years ahead.

Experience still the top consideration

The Experience Economy is not going anywhere. Gartner tells us half of all product investment projects are now focused on customer experience innovations.

Organisations are using technology tools to mine big pools of customer data to uncover insights that could inform more personalised engagements between businesses and their customers, partners, suppliers and employees.

In boardrooms across the continent business leaders are discussing how they could merge operational data with experience data to create consistently positive experiences that give them an edge in the age of the consumer.

Employee experiences

With the continuing war for talent, organisations are also taking greater care of their employee experiences. At a recent corporate awards ceremony, I was struck by how many organisations have invested in their talent management capabilities over the past year, and how extensive their strategies are to remain attractive as employers.

Considering the growing prevalence of millennials and other younger, more socially-conscious generations in the workplace, it鈥檚 also not unsurprising that many businesses are more clearly defining their higher purpose to illustrate their commitment to solving challenges in the environments in which they operate.

Lifetime value engineering

For B2B businesses, the focus has shifted completely away from selling products and solutions to generating lifetime customer value. Why? Customers simply expect more from their investment into technology, and want quick time-to-value.

Expectations are high: IT spend used to be confined to the IT department, but every business transformation project today is also a technology project. Now it鈥檚 the CEO, CFO and CMO who work with the CIO on major digital transformation projects.

Co-innovation as a blueprint

With major tech deployments now focused on delivering value over long periods of time, and executive buy-in and ownership from day one, technology providers have had to change how they engage and collaborate with customers.

The Co-Innovation Lab perhaps provides a useful blueprint for how organisations can work with tech providers to jointly develop solutions and proofs of concept before major funds are invested in large-scale projects.

Accelerating digital skills development among youth

Africa may be home to as many as 700 million young people, but less than 1% leave school with even basic coding knowledge. Fixing this will take a collective effort from the public and private sectors, NGOs, and civil society.

Initiatives such as Africa Code Week, a collaboration of more than 130 partners and 120 ambassadors across 37 African countries that has introduced more than 4.1 million youth to coding and digital literacy since 2015, point to one working model for mobilising mass resources behind large-scale digital skills development efforts.

The coming decade will present opportunities to solve some of the continent鈥檚 prevailing challenges and take advantage of the immense opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

By joining forces in a collective effort while keeping one eye on an uncertain but exciting future, we may yet build the prosperous, inclusive future for all who call Africa home.

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