- John Agyekum Kufuor says Africa is being left behind in global digital revolution
- Former president criticises overreliance on foreign tech and narratives
- Calls AfCFTA progress “mostly talk” without real digital ownership
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has expressed deep concern over Africa’s growing marginalisation in the global digital and technological space, urging urgent efforts to reclaim the continent’s identity and shape its own narrative.
Speaking at a high-level media forum organised by the Africa Media Bureau at the Alisa Hotel in Accra on Friday, September 26, the former president highlighted Africa’s continued dependency on foreign systems, languages, and narratives, despite initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Poor Africa has so far tended to be defined from outside. We are still seeking our identity,” Kufuor stated. “We talk about AfCFTA, but it tends to be just talk. Meanwhile, digitalisation and global technology are evading us.”
He noted that while digital platforms and innovation are frequently discussed, ownership and control of these technologies remain largely outside African hands.
“In every village, we talk about platforms — but how many are created or managed by us?” he questioned. “We remain stuck in the mindset of colonialism.”
Kufuor also criticised the linguistic and colonial divisions that continue to hinder African unity and identity.
“We are Anglophone. My cousin in Côte d’Ivoire is Francophone. The next person is Lusophone. We don’t know ourselves,” he remarked. “Even neighbouring countries know very little about each other.”
He illustrated this disconnection by pointing out that many Ghanaians may be unaware of key developments in nearby Nigeria.
To bridge this divide, the former president proposed the establishment of a pan-African media agency, with its headquarters in Accra or another major African city, that would focus on telling authentic African stories — not limited to politics, but also covering economics, trade, culture, and entertainment.
“If professional media people can establish a powerful, truly African media agency to tell our stories — social, economic, cultural — I tell you, it won’t be long before the African in Lagos, Nairobi, or Johannesburg starts connecting better with fellow Africans.”
