Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA)

Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) is sponsored by U.S. Department of State, USAID, U.S. Department of Commerce (whole-of-government initiative). The Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative aims to expand digital access and literacy and strengthen digital enabling environments across Africa.

It supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes in areas such as digital economy and infrastructure, human capital development, and digital enabling environment. This includes efforts to improve financial literacy, promote the growth of the digital economy, and strengthen telecommunications infrastructure.

In December 2022, President Biden launched the Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative to expand digital access and literacy and strengthen digital enabling environments across the continent to invest over $350 million and help mobilize over $450 million in financing for Africa. DTA is a whole-of-government initiative, and the interagency is working jointly to develop programs in answer to DTA.

The Africa Digital Policy Council, co-chaired by the NSC and Commerce, has been established to coordinate interagency work on DTA. Projects and programming supported by DTA funding will be developed through an interagency working group assigned to each of the three key areas (Digital Economy and Infrastructure, Human Capital Development and Digital Enabling Environment) and approved by the Africa Digital Policy Council.

In support of the aims of DTA, Vice President Harris in April issued a “call to action” to the private sector and the philanthropic community to make direct investments and social impact commitments to advance digital inclusion in Africa. This work will directly support DTA’s aim to make sure that people across Africa can participate in the global digital economy.

Digital Transformation with Africa: Fact Sheet Page 1 [474 KB] Digital Transformation with Africa: Fact Sheet Page 2 [419 KB] President Biden Highlights the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor’s Digital Component During Angola Visit President Joe Biden, during his historic trip to Angola, highlighted multiple monumental economic partnerships between the United States and Angola.

In particular, the two countries co-hosted thePartnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor Summit, which convened leaders from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Zambia, and the Africa Finance Corporation.

As a key component of the bipartisan rail investment, the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor will accelerate economic growth and diversification while enhancing digital access and connectivity for local communities across the region. Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) has partnered with PGI to support the region’s digital development goals by advancing high-speed internet access and the adoption of innovative technologies and solutions.

To strengthen the region’s telecommunications infrastructure, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) announced a $100 million preliminary commitment to finance American company Africell’s intent to expand affordable and reliable wireless cell services throughout Angola and to upgrade equipment in the DRC to trusted technologies.

EXIM’s commitment complements the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) $5 million “Dinheiro Digital é Melhor” or “Mobile Money is Better” project with Africell, which furthers the development of the Angolan digital finance ecosystem. USAID also continues to work with Afrimoney to connect about 12,000 new mobile users a month, accumulating to 240,000 new users joining in 2024 alone.

Through DTA, USAID and its Angolan partners are working to eliminate barriers to internet access, improve financial literacy, and promote the growth of the digital economy.

In support of DTA, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a feasibility study grant to Namibia’s Javilian Civils (Propriety) Limited to support the deployment of fiber and access infrastructure, significantly improving internet connectivity in Angola, the DRC, and Namibia. This feasibility study is part of $13.

2 million in USTDA commitments that serve to catalyze billions of dollars in financing and deploy cutting-edge U.S. technologies for the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor. DTA at the 2024 Africa Tech Festival The United States’ Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative was a proud partner of the 2024 Africa Tech Festival, November 11-14 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The festival is the continent’s largest and most influential tech event, bringing together 15,000 stakeholders from Africa and across the world to network with industry leaders, exhibit, and pitch their businesses, gain valuable insights, view the latest in technology, and to explore and exchange tech solutions for Africa and the rest of the world.

The festival combines AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite, and The AI Summit under one platform, with AfricaCom focused on telecom, connectivity, and digital infrastructure, AfricaTech on disruptive and emerging technologies, AfricaIgnite on startups, and The AI Summit on AI’s transformative capacity. DTA, in partnership with the festival, hosted an all-day side event on November 11.

The invite-only event brought together over 100 stakeholders from the U.S. and African public and private sector to discuss the key challenges to expanding digital access, increasing digital literacy, and strengthening digital enabling environments across Africa with the goal of identifying innovative U.S. and African solutions and collaborative strategies to advance Africa’s digital transformation.

Panels featured digital ecosystem leaders, including U.S. and African policymakers, regulators, tech innovators, and senior officials from the White House, Department of State, Department of Commerce, U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Trade and Development Agency, Federal Communications Commission, Millenium Challenge Corporation, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, and Prosper Africa.

The U.S. delegation to the Africa Tech Festival was led by U.S. Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Affairs Joy Basu, U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Middle East and Africa Thomas Bruns, and U.S. Trade and Development Agency Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Heather Lanigan.

The U.S. government principals spoke on panels and delivered remarks throughout the mainstages of the Africa Tech Festival, engaging on dialogues on vital digital and technology topics. These actions underscore the United States’ commitment to supporting Africa’s digital transformation and to increasing commercial engagement between U.S. and African companies in the digital and technology sector. You can see more event photos on Flickr.

From September 9-11, 2024, Mission Nigeria hosted the landmark Global Inclusivity and Artificial Intelligence: Africa (GIAA) Conference in Lagos, bringing together over 400 stakeholders, including government officials, industry leaders, civil society members, startup founders, and academics from across Africa to discuss the safe, secure, inclusive, and trustworthy deployment of AI and the need for investments in infrastructure and digital skilling on the continent.

As a tech leader on the continent, Nigeria has already made great strides towards achieving many of the objectives of Digital Transformation with Africa Initiative (DTA). From infrastructure to investments by major tech firms to inflows of U.S. venture capital to support start-ups, the United States continues to feature centrally in Nigeria’s tech revolution.

The collective actions of the Nigerian government and other technology ecosystem stakeholders to create an enabling environment that accelerates the nation’s digital transformation have generated increased investment from the private sector, including U.S. technology giants such as Microsoft, Cisco, Meta, Google, and Starlink.

Nigeria’s partnership with U.S. and local firms has built a strong platform for providing technology training and reskilling for unemployed and underemployed women and youth, catalyzing venture capital investment that accounts for more than a quarter of all venture capital coming to Africa.

The GIAA conference was a deliverable announced by Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell at the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission (BNC) in April, and included Department of State participation from the Deputy Secretary (virtually), Acting Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology Dr. Seth Center, Bureau of African Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Joy Basu, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills, and more than 20 representatives from 10 U.S. government agencies and offices, demonstrating the USG’s commitment and willingness to partner in the advancement of Africa’s digital transformation.

GIAA marked a pivotal moment in the U.S. – Nigeria tech relationship. The event not only delivered on commitments made at the BNC in April but highlighted the enduring partnership the United States has formed with Nigeria to advance its digital transformation. The conference also underscored the growing importance of Africa’s inclusion in AI development and the continent’s importance in the global emerging technology landscape.

The conference, with far reaching U.S. interagency participation, reinforced Nigeria’s position as a regional and global leader and laid the groundwork for increased U.S.-Nigeria collaboration to harness the potential of AI for the benefit of all and strengthen investment and technological ties.

Mission Nigeria would like to thank the Deputy Secretary and our colleagues at USAID, USTDA, DHS, CDC, Commerce, USAISI, AF, GEC, FBI, and S/Tech for your partnership in delivering an overwhelmingly successful event. Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy ‘Bosun Tijani Minister Delivering GIAA Keynote Remarks.

S/TECH’s Dr. Seth Center, AF DAS Joy Basu, CG Will Stevens, and representatives from U.S. Mission Nigeria, USAID, USTDA, Commerce, USAISI, CDC, and DHS. S/TECH’s Dr. Seth Center delivers remarks DTA at the 2024 African Growth and Opportunity Act Annual Forum: Accelerating Africa’s Digital Technology and Service Exports to the United States Panel On July 26, 2024, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D. C.

, public and private sector representatives convened at the 2024 AGOA Forum to explore how African businesses and governments can leverage initiatives like Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to increase digital technology and service exports to the United States, as well as boost digitalization and digital trade in Africa.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has undergone the biggest digital revolution of the past two decades, with the number of internet users in Africa surpassing 570 million in 2022, twice as many as in 2015, when AGOA was last renewed. Mobile technologies and digital services in SSA added more than $155 billion in economic value in 2019 and digital services are expected to grow six times over to $712 billion by 2050.

However, as less than 1% of U.S. imports in telecommunication, computer, and information services are from Africa, the panel emphasized the need for trade initiatives, such as AGOA, to evolve and accommodate digital technology and service exports in response to economic innovations.

Our private sector panelists discussed how intra-African trade in digital technologies would be benefited by the elimination of trade barriers and e-currency platforms that allow for the facilitation of cross-border payments. Ease of intra-African trade would lend to the support of exporting digital technologies and services outside of the continent.

As the African digital market grows, startups and companies need access on research to digital ecosystems and markets to inform decision making, as well as venture capital that can assist with seed money for startups.

Investing in local technology businesses in Africa also includes advancing digital skills and investing in local infrastructure, such as data centers and partnerships with universities for hands-on practical trainings, to support human capacity development. Afterall, exports of digital services are a bottom-up approach and relies on supported foundations for digital transformation.

Such actions paired with investing in the supply chain in Africa will bring down the costs of inputs and grow African exports to the United States. To address policy ineptitudes, Africans need to be involved in negotiations and decision-making, particularly within digital service agreements and raw materials.

Policies need to be inclusive to local businesses and small-medium enterprises (SMEs) so that ambitious protocols are not superseded by naïve goals. As Africa advances in technology development, a plan must be orchestrated to layout Africa’s path to being a global trade competitor within the technology sector, catering to the specific needs of African regions.

Afterall, Africa is not a ‘one size fits all continent’ and the United States ought to work with African business colleagues to support particular developments and goals of local digital and technology markets.

* _Joy Basu, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State (DAS) in the Bureau of African Affairs, Economics and Regional Affairs_ * _Desire Loumou, Head of the Intellectual Property Rights Division at the AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) Secretariat_ * _Dr. Jane Munga, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace_ * _Dr. Thierry Wandji, Co-founder and CEO, Cybastion_ * _Dr.

Aloy Chife, Executive Chairman, Brij Technologies_ * _Brian Longwe, Co-founder and CEO, Converged Technology Networks_ * _Fernando Loreiro, Executive Director, Latin America & Africa Government Affairs, Intel Corporation_ The American Chamber of Commerce Kenya (AmCham) in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Kenya hosted the 2024 Regional AmCham Business Summit in Nairobi on April 24-25, 2024.

Under the theme “Catalyzing the Future of U. S-East Africa Trade and Investment,” the summit brought together American and East African business executives, investors, senior government officials, and multilateral stakeholders to explore opportunities for enhanced trade and investment between the U.S., Kenya, and the East African region. The Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative was prominently featured at the summit.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce organized a pre-summit DTA reception, which was attended by over 200 people and featured representation from five U.S. Government agencies, along with video remarks from two U.S. members of Congress.

A highlight of the summit was the DTA pavilion, an innovative space aimed to facilitate networking among investors, entrepreneurs, and both public and private sector stakeholders, fostering impactful digital partnerships across the continent. Alongside the U.S. Government booth, the pavilion hosted twenty U.S. company exhibitor booths to showcase the latest in U.S. digital innovation.

The DTA pavilion was inaugurated on April 24th with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, and USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong.

The pavilion also featured a pitch room where over thirty digital companies presented their projects to potential U.S. private sector partners as well as project financiers and other stakeholders interested in bolstering Africa’s digital ecosystem.

The pitch room was the setting for twelve deal announcements over the course of the summit, including two USTDA grants to help expand reliable, high-speed digital connectivity across East Africa in support of DTA. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced financing for a data protection initiative and a training program.

Several private sector deals were announced, aimed at promoting African entrepreneurship, expanding access to digital health services, and establishing technology training centers, among other commitments. The 2024 Regional AmCham Business Summit underscored the pivotal U.S.-East Africa partnership, showcasing transformative DTA events that ignited a wave of digital innovation in the region.

This landmark event not only fostered crucial alliances but also propelled initiatives to expand entrepreneurship and enhance access to cutting-edge digital services, charting a bold path for East Africa’s economic future.

## Transformation in Action Creating a Digital Platform for Africa’s Drug Supply Chains through Public Private Partnership On November 12, 2024, Prosper Africa’s Tech for Trade Alliance (AT4T) announced the launch of a pilot digital platform to bring visibility to Africa’s drug supply chains under the United States’ Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative.

The platform was a result of a public-private partnership between Prosper Africa, IBM Consulting, and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. The new application will create a transparent, efficient, and safe commercial market for medications. The announcement took place at the DTA Pavilion at the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa, gathering key stakeholders to celebrate the start of this promising data platform.

Prosper Africa, USAID’s eTrade Alliance, IBM Consulting, and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) collaborated to launch Pulse by NABP™ in South Africa.

Pulse is a digital solution that will connect US and global pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Roche with African distributors and pharmacies in this emerging market, enabling better communication between trading partners and adding security to evolving supply chains. For more information on this innovative partnership, please visit the Prosper Africa website.

Connecting Communities Through Ekovolt Telco Limited and DTA Reliable and accessible internet connectivity is lifechanging. As engineers at Verizon and Cisco, Emeka Ebo and Austen Nwaochei noticed the internet’s helpful effect during their work in telecommunications in the United States, witnessing rural and Native-American communities positively transform once they had sustainable internet access.

After working in telecommunications abroad, they returned home to Nigeria and saw the need to utilize​​affordable digital connectivity to connect communities. Emeka and Austen have found how schools, hospitals, and many other institutions can increase work efficacy through stronger internet connectivity, thus inspiringEkovolt Telco Limitedin 2015.

With a team of experienced professionals, Ekovolt’s leaders brought their vision to life, which is to provide revolutionary broadband internet access and solutions in emerging Nigerian markets. The goal is to make​internet access​affordable through fixed connectivity​with​quality bandwidth, particularly targeting schools and hospitals.

In addition to internet, Ekovolt’s services include integrating home and business tasks with technology, such​as​e-learning programs for students and academic professionals. For instance, Ekovolt equips organizations to shift from filing paperwork to utilizing digital compute solutions, such as cloud storage, to digitally store documents.

The team utilizes intelligent network transport technologies to drive efficient consumption of bandwidth in low-middle income communities, thereby making their services more affordable. Ekovolt values partnering will local businesses, particularly micro, small, and medium enterprises, to further their connectivity and digital transformation projects.

Ekovolt has leveraged the assistance of several U.S. government agencies under Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) to establish new entities and further their work in Nigeria. In support of Pillar 1 of DTA, the Digital Economy and Infrastructure, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) funded a feasibility study on behalf of Ekovolt to assess connectivity access across the Niger Delta region over a five-year period.

The feasibility study is projected to impact 550,000 internet users across households and small, medium, and large businesses, allowing Ekovolt to find productive solutions to determine how the internet can strategically transform lives.

Additionally, Ekovolt has partnered with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Resonance, and Microsoft​Airband​​through the “ISP Incentive Fund,” a​part​of​USAID’s Digital Invest​p​rogram​. ​​T​​he Incentive Fund utilized a results-based financing approach to​pro​vide​capital for​ISPs to connect community anchor institutions such as​​​schools, hospitals,​and​libraries​to the internet​.

Through this collaboration,​Ekovolt connected over 175 community anchor institutions to the internet – this included​Harvey Healthcare,​who​used their strong internet connection to offer timely patient care, and Hopespring Foundation School,​who​was able to broaden their educational material in support of their students with special needs. DTA is a proud partner of Ekovolt’s lifechanging work to support internet connectivity in Nigeria.

Expanding Wireless Connectivity Through Poa! Internet and DTA Partnership Poa! Internet Kenya, also known as Poa, has a mission to deliver internet to every home in Africa.

As an internet service provider based in Kenya, the company focuses on providing connectivity to underserved communities. Through a pre-paid system, Poa customers utilize the fixed wireless access spectrum to access the internet. With over 40,000 street hotspots, users have many opportunities to utilize Poa!

Street’s internet access. Poa! Home delivers a quality service to enjoy the internet from the comfort of a home while allowing customers to take advantage of Poa!

Street’s services at no additional cost. Poa is established in low-income urban areas, with over 60,000 customers and plans to expand the reach of their services. As part of Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA), the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has funded a feasibility study to assess how Poa can expand their fixed wireless access to one million households in low-income urban communities across Africa.

The feasibility study focuses on a market assessment of fourteen African countries, that will result in a recommendation for three target markets. With a current Poa subsidiary in Uganda, the company is already on the move of expanding their services.

Through partnering with DTA, Poa is using data-driven decision making to expand their critical services to low-income communities in other jurisdictions, ensuring that connectivity can be not only secure and sustainable, but affordable and inclusive.