{"id":312,"date":"2026-04-01T11:23:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T09:23:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.nexfing.ai\/?p=312"},"modified":"2026-04-01T11:23:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T09:23:10","slug":"africas-digital-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.nexfing.ai\/?p=312","title":{"rendered":"Africa\u2019s Digital Transformation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Africa\u2019s Digital Transformation : Why Technology Alone\u00a0Won\u2019t\u00a0Deliver Results.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Africa’s<\/strong> digital evolution has entered a new phase with tremendous growth. To date, investment, rapid adoption of mobile, as well as increasing reliance on cloud computing and data-based solutions, are all contributing factors in its growth.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 2025, Africa’s digital investments<\/strong> reached an estimated $22.6B<\/strong>, with expected annual growth of 15% through 2033.<\/strong> This is indicative that many countries are\u00a0attempting\u00a0to compete internationally, develop their capability to manage their own digital economies, and create long-term, sustainable value for their citizens.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, an organization\u2019s ability to resolve issues with its digital solution cannot be solely based on the level of success it achieves with its digital strategy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does the success of Africa\u2019s Digital Transformation require widespread adoption of DevOps throughout all organisations ?\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article I will be examining four main components of the topic:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Current level of digital transformation in Africa – and why DevOps is becoming a vital tool to achieve this transformation  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 The role of cloud computing and global consulting companies in helping with this transformation  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Barriers to DevOps across the continent  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Digital Transformation in Africa: Massive Potential, Incomplete Execution<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The World Bank<\/strong> reported that between 2016 and 2021<\/strong>, internet use in Sub Saharan Africa increased by 115% and the level rose from approximately 19%<\/strong> to 36%<\/strong> in five years. The digital transformation market in Africa is expected to grow to $22.67<\/strong> billion by 2025<\/strong> due to mobile technologies, AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the growth of digital services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deloitte<\/strong>, in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF), estimates that the digital economy can add up to\u00a0$180<\/strong>\u00a0billion to\u00a0GDP growth<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Africa<\/strong>\u00a0over the next several years through supporting start-up ecosystems and significant infrastructure investment such as Google’s Africa submarine cable.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, with only 38%<\/strong> to 39%<\/strong> of Africans connected to the internet, Africa’s global connectivity<\/strong> is the lowest, and therefore, there is no large-scale impact of digital transformation available to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Transformation Recommendations <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Develop national and sectoral digital strategies that include measurable social and economic outcomes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Focus on high-value use cases (digital payments, e-health, e-government, supply chains) rather than connectivity alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Incorporate DevOps as a foundational element early on, along with cloud and data, and cybersecurity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Cloud, Consulting Firms, and the Structuring Role of DevOps<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The basic structure of the economy today is that cloud computing<\/strong> has become the backbone of digital transformation<\/strong> throughout Africa<\/strong>, but it can also be viewed as a natural accelerator to DevOps adoption<\/strong>. Furthermore, through the development of major technology companies referred to as \u00ab\u00a0hyperscalers<\/strong>\u00ab\u00a0, market research indicates that cloud services in Africa<\/strong> are growing at more than 20%<\/strong> each year and are being driven primarily by the expansion of hyperscalers<\/strong> into Africa<\/strong> and the building of data centers across Africa <\/strong>and the Middle East<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to PwC<\/strong>, the demand for cloud migration, data analytics, and modernizing applications has increased in Africa<\/strong> and continues to increase at a rapid pace. Many organizations are currently preparing for the anticipated massive use of artificial intelligence<\/strong> (AI<\/strong>). Typically, these modern cloud environments enable organizations to support agile development and have continuous delivery, which is typically supported by strong DevOps cultures<\/strong> resulting in reduced time to market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deloitte<\/strong> is actively involved in many digital transformation projects covering various sectors including finance,<\/strong> customs<\/strong>, trade through the African<\/strong> Continental<\/strong> Free Trade Area<\/strong> (AfCFTA), and is concentrating its focus on building automated systems, integrated platforms, and operational resiliency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this context, DevOps becomes the element or \u00ab\u00a0missing link<\/strong>\u00a0\u00bb that connects cloud investments and organizations’ ability to deliver high-quality digital services by having the following characteristics: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI\/CD) Pipeline Automation <\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Infrastructure as Code <\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Real-Time Application Monitoring <\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Cross-Functional Collaboration <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developing a Cloud & DevOps<\/strong> Roadmap in partnership with your strategic partners Standardise platforms to reduce complexity and improve scalability Focus on business KPIs<\/strong> such as time to market, customer satisfaction and operational cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Key Barriers to DevOps Adoption in Africa<\/strong><\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

While there is plenty of interest, the state of DevOps<\/strong> maturity throughout the continent continues to be lower than expected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, in South Africa<\/strong>, a recent study from CA Southern Africa found that 94% <\/strong>of IT decision-makers<\/strong> see DevOps as an important priority; however, only 44%<\/strong> have a formal DevOps<\/strong> plan in place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are four<\/strong> major barriers <\/strong>to DevOps maturity<\/strong> that appear repeatedly across research: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 High cost of technology:<\/strong> The International Finance Corporation has estimated that African businesses may pay as much as 35%<\/strong> more on average for similar technology solutions than businesses in other regions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Lack of skills:<\/strong> Research from Deloitte and the World Bank have shown a large disparity between the adoption of technologies and the availability of qualified personnel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Isolation of organizations:<\/strong> Many organizations still operate with clearly defined lines separating their development, operations, and business functions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Lack of clearly defined governance:<\/strong> According to a report by PwC<\/strong>, 23%<\/strong> of senior leaders indicate that they perceive a lack of a well-defined IT strategy as a significant barrier to developing capability in DevOps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommendations <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n