Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina’s opening address to the AUDA-NEPAD Youth-in-innovation Symposium on Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technologies, Monday, 2 December

Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Representatives from AUDA-NEPAD,
The African Academy of Sciences, the European Commission, United Nations,
Our partners from International Development Institutes,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen

It is a privilege for me today to address this esteemed gathering of young people on the occasion of the Youth in Innovation Symposium, an event that underscores the transformative power of innovation in unlocking Africa’s immense potential. Our continent is at a pivotal moment and as we prepare for the Africa we Want, it is clear that the key to our collective success lies in harnessing the talent, energy, and creativity of our youth.

As we enter into a second implementation phase of Africa Agenda 2063, of building the Africa we want, Miss Nicky Verd who is the renowned international speaker and leading thinker on driving innovation and digital transformation, summed Africa’s solution in few words, when she said “Africa’s transformation lies in innovation, creativity, emerging technologies and entrepreneurship”

The continent still faces many challenges of underdevelopment, poverty, food security, climate change and an infrastructure deficit. Yet, it is a continent that is pregnant of massive potential to rise and be dependent-free. Therefore, our youth have a key role to play in addressing these challenges through their talents and entrepreneurial spirit. It is you, the youth who stand a chance to break the chains of resource curses in the continent, dependency to first world countries for our survival including food aid when technology can enhance food systems for Africa to produce in abundance for itself.

Young people have always been at the forefront of radical change and disruptions. In South Africa, it was youth in June 16,1976, that challenged apartheid education system decisively; it was young people around 2010 -2012 who organized Arab spring in North Africa through Facebook to effect political changes from Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain and other Arab countries, the fall of Omar Bashir in Sudan was through the rise of young people, and South Africa’s” Fees Must Fall”.

Africa’s youthful population, one of the youngest in the world, is not just a demographic reality but it is our competitive advantage to turn the corner and emerge from worse to best!

By 2050, Africa will be home to over a quarter of the global youth population. This demographic dividend offers unprecedented opportunities for economic and social transformation if leveraged strategically. Young people are already reshaping our societies through innovation. Our task as government, and as National Systems of Innovation, is to support youth through financial and non-financial interventions so that such innovations proceed to commercialization’s.

From tech startups introducing revolutionary applications to social enterprises addressing pressing challenges, the youth are generating billions in revenue, creating jobs, and redefining Africa’s global image. Innovation-led Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) play a critical role in this dynamic landscape. It is estimated that youth-led SMMEs in Africa contribute significantly to GDP growth, with tech startups alone raising over $6 billion in investments in 2023.

While the potential of youth-led tech startups is immense, the reality is that these ventures face considerable challenges. Startups, by nature, are high-risk and in Africa, the statistics are quite bad. On average, 54% of startups fail. Tech startups tend to encounter barriers such as limited access to financing, insufficient infrastructure, and policy environments that do not fully support innovation. Many young innovators struggle to grow their businesses due to a lack of mentorship and networks, while others are unable to translate their ideas into commercially viable products.

Adoption of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning and algorithm-driven processes—still remains low among SMMEs in Africa. This is due to several factors, including inadequate digital infrastructure, limited access to quality data due to high costs, and a lack of professionals skilled in these advanced technologies.

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds the promise of revolutionizing youth-led SMMEs. By leveraging responsible AI, these businesses can significantly enhance their operational efficiency, make informed, data-driven decisions, and develop groundbreaking products and services that set them apart in the marketplace.

This has a direct impact on profitability, enabling youth-led enterprises not just to survive but to thrive, contributing more substantially to Africa’s economic growth.

Highlighting these limitations in our continent does not mean that there is no glimmer of hope. If as government, as industries, universities and Sciences Councils and other components of National Systems of Innovation in all our countries, can increase our effort and energy in provide support we will win.

As Miss Nunu Ntshingila, the African Regional Director for Facebook articulated this hope in 2019, that hope remain true even today, that:

“Digital technology is already triggering innovation and ingenuity across the continent – from the world's biggest radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in South Africa to blood deliveries by drone in Rwanda and from M-Kopa’s efforts to connect homes in East Africa to solar power sources to the use of drones for early pest and disease detection in agriculture.

In some cases, Africa has leapfrogged legacy tech and shown the way forward. More than half the population of Sub-Saharan Africa will be subscribed to a mobile service by 2025, according to the latest edition of the GSMA’s Mobile Economy report series. In 2025, there will be 634 million unique mobile subscribers across Sub-Saharan Africa”

While Investments in digital infrastructure are imperative, we must provide training and education programmes to equip our youth with the skills necessary to harness AI effectively. Supportive policies that encourage innovation and entrepreneurship must also be a priority.

For African youth to lead the continent’s innovation agenda, they need to be equipped with the necessary skills. This requires a shift towards fostering entrepreneurial mindsets, technical expertise, and harnessing of digital technologies.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to announce that as the DSTI we are making efforts in supporting the ecosystem, with a recent investment of over R900 million into the Innovation Fund. To date, the Fund has supported 96 South African startups and 21.7% of the start-ups are led by young people under the age of 35.

The DSTI has also partnered with AUDA-NEPAD Regional Centres of Excellence through the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), to implement a fully accredited Master of Science degree in Artificial Intelligence. Such partnerships underscore our commitment to equip Africa's youth with cutting-edge skills to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Rolling out of this degree is also a testimony of dedication to advancing AI and machine learning education across the continent.

Programmes that also bridge the gap between ideas and commercialization are essential. In this instance, the DSTI is also collaborating with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on the Alliance for Entrepreneurial Universities in Africa initiative. This partnership aims to transform higher education institutions into hubs of innovation and entrepreneurship, ensuring that African universities not only produce graduates but also cultivate job creators and industry leaders.

The alliance seeks to bridge the gap between academia and industry by fostering innovation ecosystems within universities. These efforts equip students with entrepreneurial skills, facilitate industry-relevant research, and promote the commercialisation of ideas.

Ladies and gentlemen, I would also like to highlight the work being done through the African Girls’ Can Code Initiative a transformative program that is spearheaded by UNECA and the African Union Commission in partnership with UN Women South Africa, Siemens South Africa, the DSTI and Department of Basic Education. This initiative incorporates a mentoring component aimed at empowering young girls and women to become future leaders in the tech industry by teaming them up with seasoned female professionals in the tech industry.

In South Africa, the African Girls’ Can Code Initiative has introduced more than 150 young women and girls aged between15 to 23, to the world of coding, with a special focus on artificial intelligence (AI) as a cornerstone of the curriculum. The coding camps have welcomed learners from rural and peri-urban schools, as well as students from TVET colleges from all nine provinces of South Africa. The African Girls’ Can Code Initiative, is creating a new wave of digitally skilled innovators and this is also aligned with the DSTI’s Decadal Plan.

Ladies and gentlemen, as you may be aware South Africa has now assumed the Presidency of the G20. Under the Indian Presidency of the G20 in 2023, Startup20 was initiated as the first of its kind to facilitate collaboration and networking among Startups from the G20 member countries.

The Startup20 Engagement Group facilitates a global narrative for supporting startups and enabling synergies between startups, corporates, investors, innovation agencies and other key ecosystem stakeholders.

In fostering South-South Cooperation under our BRICS engagements annually, BRICS nations convenes the BRICS Young Innovation Prize where young innovators from the BRICS nations are recognized and awarded with monetary prizes.

A special recognition of young talented entrepreneurs and researchers, whose outstanding innovations (inventions, products, applications, and services make a profound impact on the socio-economic, environment and conditions of life in BRICS societies. The BRICS Young Innovator Prize is a platform for BRICS young scientists and entrepreneurs to share their best practices in innovation and venturing.

As I conclude, let us move forward with the conviction that Africa’s best days lie ahead, driven by the vision, talent, and resilience of our young innovators. Together, we can ensure that innovation becomes the cornerstone of a prosperous and sustainable Africa.

I would like to commend the African Union for recently adopting the revised and new Science Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA 2034) and we stand ready to support its implementation.

For the young people in the room today, I hope that the discussions during this symposium will not only provide you with insights but also equip you with groundbreaking information that can propel your businesses to greater heights.

Thank you.

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