By Boniface Harrison – Social Development Manager
Recently, I sat on a panel discussion exploring how we can tackle misinformation and disinformation in the age of social media. One of the key points I raised was that we struggle to enforce cybercrime policies effectively because most of the digital platforms we rely on are not even based in Africa.
During the session, a university lecturer from Kenya posed a powerful question:
“How can we develop our own technology and social media platforms so that we can use what we own?”
In my response, I highlighted several critical factors. We need access to financing to scale tech innovations. We need infrastructure, government policy support, quality STEM education, and digital literacy. We also need to build trust in African-made products and platforms. But more importantly, we need to change our mindset.
We cannot develop Africa by holding onto a sense of entitlement simply because we are Africans and this is our continent. Blaming others won’t move us forward. We have to do the work. We must innovate, invest, and compete effectively in the global market.
A few days ago, I saw a journalist from Kenya who works with an international media house criticizing a conference on African families because all the speakers were white. I asked myself – why haven’t we Africans organized such a conference ourselves with African voices leading the conversation? If we are not setting the agenda, why are we reacting to one that has already been set by others? Is this criticism really about inclusion, or are we just demanding attention without first doing the groundwork?
This is similar to what happened at the beginning of the Pan-African movement. The early meetings on Pan-Africanism were held outside the continent and mostly by non-Africans. Eventually, a few African leaders were invited, but it didn’t start with us. I’ve written about this before in another article: Pan-Africanism Did Not Originate From Africa
Just this morning, I came across another post from the same journalist. He was questioning why investors in a tech startup forum were mostly non-Africans, sharing a photo where only one Black person was present. And I had to ask: what do we really want? Do we want people to bring us money because we are African, or do we want to build capacity and create investable businesses that naturally attract funding? Do we want more photos with Black faces, or do we want long-term influence through value creation?
I believe we must learn the rules of the game and master them. Africa needs to build soft power – cultural, technological, and economic. We need to do tangible things and tell authentic stories about them so that the world takes notice. The goal is not just to be invited to the table because of our skin color or origin, but to earn our place because of what we bring to the table.
In all our work, we must prioritize excellence, efficiency, and convenience. For instance, how was your experience reading this article on this website? Share your feedback. Our developers can improve it. That’s the attitude we need – not playing the victim when we feel excluded from certain spaces, but building our own.
Let me also take a moment to appreciate fellow Africans who are already doing the work. Those who are solving problems, building businesses, and driving progress across the continent. You inspire us. Your efforts show what is possible. Like Eliud Kipchoge, who runs real marathons and earns his place regardless of the colour of who else is on the track. You are showing that excellence speaks for itself. You remind us that consistent effort, discipline, and focus can put Africa at the forefront.
We have gone to school. We have acquired knowledge and skills. Let us use them. If you are a teacher, teach with excellence. If you are a tech expert, build powerful software. If you are a farmer, keep learning and improving. If you are in the field of family and community development, start hosting conversations that reflect our context and values. And to those in digital skills, climate action and civic engagement, carry out your work with the interests of Africans at the centre. Use your knowledge, your voice, and your platforms to drive real change. Do not wait for others to define the direction and then complain about exclusion. If we fail to take action, others will take the lead, and their decisions will serve their own interests rather than ours.
Let us use what we have and move forward. Let us keep creating. Let us remain unstoppable.
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