Inclusive innovation vital for Africa

Addis Ababa, May 10. 2012 (WIC) – A forum on Africa's innovators at the World Economic Forum in Ethiopia stressed that the need to ensure innovation in Africa has a crosscutting and inclusive touch.

The World Economic Forum on Africa 2012 opened today for the first time in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, cited as a prime example of the continent's fast-growing economies.  A one hour forum on Africa's innovators kicked of this morning at the luxurious Sheraton Addis.

African innovators including Omobola Johnson, Nigeria's Ministry of Communications Technoogy , social entrepreneur Nick Moon, co-founder and director of KickStart Kenya, Ory Okolloh, Policy Manager of Google Africa, Bright Simons, president of Ghana's MPedigree Network and Ethiopian Bethelehem Tilahun Alemu, co-founder and Managing Director of SoleRebels.

Maintaining that innovation existed in Africa since time in memorial, the speakers spoke in one voice as they called for a more inclusive and crosscutting innovation in Africa. 

Innovation in Africa is characterized as being non-inclusive. When one part of the society is well ahead of the other in terms of innovation.  However, a rising generation of innovative entrepreneurs, investors , activists and policy-makers is transforming businesses and society.  And the speakers called for the need to integrate these innovation into industrial system.

The speakers also indicated innovative ideas in Africa are being “killed” at early stages in Africa because there has not been much incentives for African innovators.  Adding the need to expand market opportunities in among African countries.