Juliet Obasanya on the Power of Data: Driving Africa’s Industrial Growth Through Smart Policies

Across the globe, developed nations are making remarkable strides in economic growth and societal advancement, largely by tapping into the power of technology, especially in how they collect, disseminate, and use data to inform policy and drive progress. Data has become a critical asset, fueling innovation, optimizing industries, and helping leaders make smarter, faster decisions. Here in Nigeria and across Africa, smart thinkers in both the public and private sectors are beginning to embrace this reality. There’s a growing understanding that quality data is key to reshaping our economies, creating jobs, boosting trade, and accelerating industrial development across the continent.

As I reflect on where we are now in 2019, I can clearly see what lies ahead. In the coming years, we are going to witness a massive shift toward digitization across government institutions and businesses. More countries will invest in real-time data systems, adopt artificial intelligence in service delivery, and build policies based on evidence rather than assumptions. Startups will rise with tech solutions that gather, process, and deploy data in ways that solve real African problems.

Health, agriculture, education, manufacturing, and even public transport will begin to feel the impact of smart data use. We’ll see governments using analytics to predict economic trends, allocate resources more effectively, and reduce corruption through transparency. Data will help us build smarter cities, more efficient supply chains, and tech-enabled industries that are competitive globally. I believe that by 2025, Africa will not just be catching up we’ll be creating some of the most innovative data-driven systems the world has seen, powered by our people, our ideas, and our growing digital confidence.

The future is data, and the future is African. It starts now with bold policies, visionary leadership, and a collective commitment to building with information, not speculation.

Juliet Obasanya is a business analyst and advocate for data-driven innovation in Africa. She believes technology and smart policies are the keys to unlocking Africa’s full potential.