The industrial challenges for African countries in the era of globalization and information and communication technology

Abstract

The African economic development forums of the year 2009 marked opportunities for African leaders to unite in meeting the challenges of globalization and the emerging information economy. This advent coupled with the exponentially rapid spread of information and communication technology (ICT) is deeply affecting the social, political, economic and cultural spheres in most African countries. Furthermore, ICT had influenced the paths of national development and the international division of labor in some African countries which have embraced information economy as an essence of globalization fittedness which is aided by the use and application of electronic commerce. In this evaluation, we suggest that the appropriation of ICT by African countries is strongly determined by their ability to integrate into global production networks through a techno-economic paradigm shifting. A significant disparity in terms of international use of ICT is remarkable among African countries and developed countries given the inherent and unique challenges facing the African continent. However, industrial opportunities are opening for African countries following the rapid spread of these technologies, although there is need to strengthen the innovation-mediated production in the current global information economy. Key words: African countries, ICT, globalization, industrial companies.