Africa’s digital solutions to tackle COVID-19

Foreword 
Many African countries have been severely hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. Fragile and less
developed countries in particular do not have the financial power to withstand the economic troubles 
caused by this crisis. Many countries also depend heavily on commodity exports. 
Health systems and the local manufacturers of basic medical equipment are often extremely weak. 
There is widespread concern that the crisis could lead to social unrest and security problems, 
particularly in countries where there is conflict or where a large part of the population is living on a 
day-to-day income. 
In Africa, COVID-19 is disrupting millions of lives. Poor people and small and informal businesses are 
having particular difficulties getting by. Even with containment measures such as lockdowns and 
quarantines, the pace of this disruption is likely to accelerate in the months ahead. No country is 
exempt. In addition to the social turmoil, the crisis’s economic impact may cause a major displacement 
of people. 
There is an urgent need to secure supplies of essential products, contain the spread of the virus, 
support health systems, stabilise financial systems and help businesses survive. In the short to medium 
term, Africa will have to invest heavily in sustainable growth to reverse the economic damage and 
increase the resilience of societies and businesses. 
The pandemic has put more attention on the world’s digital divide. The internet is a vital 
communications tool that can help communities deal with the crisis. The technology sector is helping 
many industries adapt to this new situation and reduce the risks. But an estimated 3.6 billion people 
are not connected to the internet across the world, including 900 million in Africa. Only 27% of women 
in Africa have access to the internet and only 15% of them can afford to use it. People who do not have 
access to the internet cannot receive timely information about the crisis. They also can’t get educated 
about preventative measures or benefit from telemedicine. 
As we seek to limit the spread of the virus with lockdowns and other safety measures, and try to keep 
businesses open, the limitations of the technological infrastructure and the lack of investment become 
more apparent. In Africa, large companies that support local economies – like banks, the mining 
industry or agriculture – need to ensure that workers have internet access. Businesses also need 
sufficient capacity to run virtual private networks that enable secure teleworking, and they need to be 
protected from cyberattacks at a time of high confusion. 
This paper is intended to contribute to the European Union’s response to the coronavirus. This joint 
EU response includes a special initiative called “Team Europe.” This new team is helping partner 
countries outside the European Union fight the pandemic and prepare for the future. This paper will 
enhance communication among public agencies like the European Investment Bank, other members 
of Team Europe and the communities that need our help. The paper also seeks to evaluate solutions, 
encourage the development of new ideas and identify investments that will make life better for 
everyone. 
Ambroise Fayolle 
Vice-President, European Investment Bank 

A statement from the United Nations 
Development Programme 
The COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time, and the greatest challenge since 
World War II. COVID-19 – with its triple threat to health, education, and livelihoods – is undermining 
human development globally. In Africa, the pandemic threatens to erase many development gains 
made in the past few decades. 
Even before COVID-19 hit, Africa was battling several crises, from food shortages to violent extremism. 
Yet Africa also has some of the best-performing economies and several countries on the continent 
have become world leaders in technological innovation. Mobile payment services, for example, were 
pioneered in Africa. The high rate of mobile phone use in some areas helps spur innovations that are 
then adapted to each country’s problems. As these same countries race to slow the spread of the 
disease, digital tools and technologies are playing a crucial role. Through our work with the 
governments, we are seeing creative solutions such as robots that can detect the spread of the virus 
in Rwanda, a mobile app that helps market vendors in Uganda, and an open system for contracts that 
improves transparency in Kenya. 
This paper is timely and important. It outlines the digital solutions being used right now in response to 
COVID-19 across the continent. In addition, it lists the investment required to improve digital 
technology and digital infrastructure. The document reviews many technologies, such as basic 
conferencing software that allows teleworking over a mobile device or computer and social media 
platforms that allow people to communicate with each other and enable governments to educate the 
public. There are also more advanced offerings, such as the delivery of medical products using drones 
and digital platforms that help small businesses stay open. 
One of the main findings in this study is that we need smarter and more cost-effective investment. This 
will allow us to improve technologies at a faster rate nationally and regionally. The UN Economic 
Commission for Africa estimates that the pandemic could cause African economies to contract by 2.6% 
in 2020. This will make it harder for local governments to finance and support new technology. This 
paper will help Africa understand how much it will cost to develop more digital solutions. As African 
countries continue to adapt to the pandemic and prepare for the recovery, there are many ways we 
can help them invest in a better future. 
The United Nations Development Programme connects countries to the knowledge and resources they 
need to build better lives. We are helping countries build communities that are stronger and greener. 
We are helping decision-makers look beyond the recovery and toward 2030, so they can make choices 
that handle complexity and uncertainty. In the new world after COVID-19, we are convinced that 
advanced technologies will be even more important and fulfil Africa’s goal to help everyone in society. 
Ahunna Eziakonwa 
Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa

Africa’s digital solutions to tackle COVID-19