Europe and Africa: Working together for digitalisation

Digital technologies mean new opportunities for growth and prosperity: this is no different in Europe than in Africa.

The visibility of new technologies and their effects, especially with reference to the harmonisation and standardisation of processes, is currently becoming clearer in almost no other industry than in the many functional areas of logistics, a key industry for the global economy. In Europe, logistics not only contributes almost 15% to the European gross domestic product (GDP), but also has a significant impact on the quality of the manufacturing and service sectors. With the industrialisation of many African countries and the growth of consumer markets, logistics has also become a key sector for Africa. Experts from the international think tank Briter Bridges thus also underline in their report "Digitising Logistics in Africa" the importance of technologies that prove to be "not only a practical tool to reduce management and operational costs, but also an opportunity to fill market gaps - for example, the insufficient utilisation of existing assets such as trucks and cargo space."

With this in mind, DIGILOGIC is placing a focus on logistics in terms of content. This means that the Digital Hub Logistics can also contribute here the expertise of a logistics innovation ecosystem that has been well-rehearsed for many years and into which new partners are regularly admitted.

"Whether in Europe or in Africa, it is a matter of ensuring that new technologies actually reach the economy," says Thorsten Hülsmann."Our partners are now ready to accompany the deployment of new digital systems in the African Union, and in doing so also to absorb the much-vaunted agility and pragmatism of young African entrepreneurs."

According to the DIGILOGIC experts, smart logistics can have an impact on many levels, especially in Africa: geographically, from last-mile delivery in the city to regional and cross-border trade and from freight shipping to supplying remote inland areas; economically, for small agricultural producers, informal traders and large-scale industries; and socially, through the direct and indirect creation of jobs. Thorsten Hülsmann: "Our concept of logistics is wide-ranging: In addition to intelligent transport, it also includes, for example, networked production logistics, optimised intralogistics or predictive maintenance, which is of particular importance in Africa." These are precisely the areas that are also critical to success for international investors and companies that want to get involved in the growth market of Africa.

The greatest potential for digital transformation, of course, are the people, especially young people: By 2050, Africa will have 362 million people between the ages of 15 and 24. "Young people especially welcome digitalisation, share information and want to learn: this is the mindset we are counting on: the will to change," says Darja Kramer, who oversees the DIGILOGIC project at the Digital Hub Logistics in Dortmund as an entrepreneurship specialist. "Through our innovation ecosystem, we now have the opportunity to provide both the knowledge and the tools to the next generation in Africa."

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