Africa is poised to revolutionize its education sector through digital transformation, as the continent grapples with a demographic explosion and a significant learning poverty challenge. With over 60% of its 1.4 billion people under the age of 25, Africa is expected to account for 57% of the world’s population growth by 2055. However, nine out of ten children in sub-Saharan Africa cannot read a simple text by the age of ten, highlighting the need for innovative solutions.
The digital revolution is transforming the education landscape, with technology altering how knowledge is delivered, accessed, and consumed. Traditional classroom models are being questioned, and digital learning is becoming a key part of education’s future. According to Ninon Nelson, an expert in Africa’s educational technology, the continent’s landscape is “full of promise,” with mobile-first platforms, adaptive learning tools, and content in local languages reaching learners in ways that seemed impossible just ten years ago.
Despite the promise, challenges remain, including fragmented solutions, limited connectivity, uneven teacher training, and sustainable financing. Nelson emphasizes the need for a holistic approach, aligning policy, investing in infrastructure, building teacher capacity, and supporting local innovation ecosystems. She cites the newly launched RESPECT digital library of vetted EdTech applications as a concrete example of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for education that is “built with alignment to policy, classroom needs, and local technology realities.”
To scale EdTech, Nelson stresses the importance of coordinated action, with governments embedding digital learning into national strategies and investing in infrastructure. Private-sector innovators must design solutions that are affordable, contextually relevant, and evidence-based, while international partners should focus on capacity-building and knowledge sharing. Partnerships are crucial, with governments, the private sector, and non-profits working together to ensure that underserved learners are reached.
Nelson believes that Africa can move from being a recipient of EdTech solutions to a designer and provider of context-appropriate platforms. By investing in local innovation, supporting homegrown platforms, and fostering cross-border collaboration, the continent can create learning solutions that reflect its languages, cultures, and realities. With the right vision, Africa can transform education for its children and set a global example for the future of digital learning. As the continent navigates its educational journey, it is clear that digital transformation is no longer optional, but necessary, to address the learning poverty challenge and unlock the potential of its youthful population.