An increasing number of African nations are looking to leverage the technology ecosystem to enhance their digital economy. Governments are partnering with diverse organizations to provide a plethora of opportunities for local tech innovators.

Global Innovation Initiative Group (GIIG), a Mauritius-based tech platform, announced a strategic partnership Friday with Ethiopia's Ministry of Innovation and Technology, Ministry of Labor and Skills, and Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) to propel the nation's burgeoning startup scene.

"EDI and GIIG have a shared purpose to discover, iterate and scale solutions that deliver impact for some of the world’s most stubborn challenges with a mission to create a vibrant, resilient, and authentically Ethiopian entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. As partners, we can lead with a greater sense of urgency, to help communities and organizations adopt change faster for rapid transformation," said Hassan Hussein, EDI President and CEO. 

The collaboration comes after Addis Ababa hosted the African leg of the Global Startup Awards in October 2023. The event, covering 120 countries (54 in Africa), catalyzed Ethiopia's ambition to build local innovation economies, equip its citizens with future-fit skills, and nurture globally competitive businesses.

This move reinforces Ethiopia's efforts, including the Next Ethiopian Startup Initiative (NEST) launched last October, to prioritize and develop its startup ecosystem.

"As part of the NEST initiative, we are committed to building a long-term partnership with GIIG and the Global Startup Awards Africa," said Muferihat Kamil, Ethiopia's Minister of Labor and Skills. "It is absolutely critical that the startup ecosystem in Ethiopia becomes a leading agenda for the nation. We need to build our economies not to imitate but to lead as Africans and initiatives with GIIG will play a significant role in enabling this."

However, Ethiopia faces challenges in its quest for digital transformation. Recent years have seen concerns regarding voluntary internet shutdowns amidst regional conflict and public protests. According to Top10VPN, Addis Ababa alone experienced 14,910 hours of internet blackout in 2023, costing an estimated $1.59 billion. In 2019, the country experienced  346 hours of blackouts, affecting 19.5 million inhabitants and costing the country $56.8 million.

Adoni Conrad Quenum