Promoting Innovation in African MSMEs Through ICT
Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) play a pivotal role in driving economic growth across Africa, contributing significantly to employment, GDP, industrialization, and food security. Currently, the continent is home to approximately 125 million formal and informal MSMEs, accounting for over 25% of the global MSME landscape. Despite their critical importance, these businesses face numerous structural barriers, including restricted access to financing, limited production capabilities, and a shortage of skilled labor—particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Other challenges include inadequate intellectual property (IP) protection, regulatory hurdles, insufficient ICT infrastructure, and vulnerability to external shocks.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution offers MSMEs unprecedented opportunities to navigate these challenges through innovative applications of ICT. However, many enterprises remain excluded from this digital transformation due to fragmented ecosystems and a widening digital divide. Strategic investments in science, technology, and innovation (STI) are essential for enhancing the productivity and resilience of MSMEs, as well as for their integration into broader value chains. By supporting these enterprises with ICT tools, we can not only create decent jobs but also address pressing issues such as unemployment, inequality, and low productivity—especially for Africa’s rapidly expanding youth demographic.
Central to realizing a digitally inclusive future is the incorporation of STEM into education and the effective utilization of intellectual property rights. In light of this, the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser for Africa (OSAA) will host a virtual webinar on September 4, 2025. The event aims to explore how STI can empower MSMEs to fully engage with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, showcasing key insights from OSAA’s preliminary policy brief while providing a platform for collaborative dialogue. Stakeholder input garnered from this webinar will inform the final policy brief that will be released subsequently.
During the webinar, the primary objectives will be to generate knowledge, encourage knowledge sharing, and foster collaborative efforts among stakeholders who seek to invest in African MSMEs championing the Fourth Industrial Revolution through ICT and innovation.
The discussion will highlight the role of STI in enhancing the productivity and resilience of MSMEs, while also addressing the various challenges these enterprises encounter. The webinar aims to identify sustainable solutions that can bolster the innovation and operational capabilities of MSMEs by promoting effective collaboration between government entities, the private sector, and the MSME community.
This event also serves as a timely opportunity to raise awareness about the advantages and challenges associated with leveraging STI, particularly in the areas of STEM education and intellectual property, to promote MSMEs throughout Africa. A focus will be placed on aligning Africa’s policy frameworks, investment strategies, and innovation ecosystems to empower MSMEs as essential drivers of the Fourth Industrial Revolution across the continent.
Participation in the webinar is open to government officials from all United Nations Member States, representatives of the African Union, regional organizations, the UN system, as well as bilateral and multilateral partners. Additionally, groups representing women, youth, civil society, the private sector, and academia are encouraged to attend and contribute to the discussions.
