Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire, has urged African countries to strengthen cross-border digital integration, saying interoperable systems will be critical to unlocking the continent’s technology and artificial intelligence potential.
Ingabire made the call during the GABI Solutions Lab session, “One Barrier, One Bet,” held on the sidelines of activities ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.
She said Africa’s digital transformation will require countries to move beyond developing technology solutions within individual national boundaries and instead build systems that can work seamlessly across borders.
«“We need to move beyond working in isolation and start building interoperable systems that allow our countries and citizens to connect, transact and innovate across borders,” Ingabire said.»
Rwanda has increasingly placed digital transformation at the centre of its development agenda, investing in digital public services, connectivity, innovation and emerging technologies as part of efforts to modernise the economy.
Ingabire highlighted this experience as an example of how governments can use technology to improve service delivery while creating opportunities for businesses and citizens.
She also identified artificial intelligence as a major area where stronger cooperation could help African countries increase their participation in the global digital economy.
According to the minister, differences between national digital platforms and infrastructure can create barriers to the movement of data, digital services and businesses. Greater interoperability, she argued, would help reduce these barriers and support a more connected continental market.
The issue is becoming increasingly important as African governments explore the use of AI and other emerging technologies in areas such as healthcare, education, agriculture, financial services and public administration.
Greater compatibility between national systems could also make it easier for companies operating across several African markets to provide digital services, while enabling citizens to access services beyond their home countries.
Ingabire’s intervention placed digital interoperability and regional cooperation at the heart of Africa’s technology agenda, with the broader objective of creating a connected digital ecosystem capable of turning advances in AI and other emerging technologies into wider economic opportunities.