The Next Production Revolution, will have an impact on productivity, work, skills, markets, poverty and inequality, well-being and environment.
It represents a potential opportunity and a big challenge for the continent, that must be a part in this development process.

We need to recognize how the confluence of technological innovation, with the political environment, institutional and social innovations, has the power to transform our society and to contribute to a new Africa that leverages on innovation and human capital for the Continent’s prosperity.

Embracing Africa Next Production Revolution (NPR)

Countries that want to embrace the Next Production Revolution should design effective regulations for their energy and digital markets.

A regulatory framwork is an important element for public policies, that is needed to understand who are the actors that can regulate a market, and why the regulation of energy and digital markets is crucial.

We need to learn, why regulation is necessary in the energy field, where markets are characterised by large infrastructures for production, transmission and distribution, which makes economies of scale highly relevant.

Also we need to understand, that the technological change in the energy sector requires long term investments and risky innovations that are not easily priced by the market. 

And we need to understand the new wave of digital innovation imposes a proper regulation system that is able to set effective data protection and new principles and rules governing e-transactions that are at the core of the revollution of e-commerce in Africa.

INFRASTRUCTURE IN AFRICA FOR THE NEXT PRODUCTION REVOLUTION

The start point of the NPR, needs an enabling infrastructure that resonate with the new wave of emerging technologies in productive processes and society at large. and surely it cannot retrieve old paradigms that are inappropriate from a variety of perspectives : environmental, social and economic sustainability.

The focus need to be on digital and green infrastructures that have been recognized as the most effective to achieve sustainable development goals.

The Next Production Revolution (NPR) entails a confluence of technologies ranging from a variety of digital technologies to new materials and processes including bio, digital, nano, neuro and green technology.

Digital and Green technologies are necessary for Africa to set up an enabling infrastructure. They have the potential to change in African economies, such as manufacturing and agriculture.

Digital agriculture, through the use of ICT, robotics, satellite imaging
and machine learning technologies, enables the modernization
of food production to respond to pressing challenges of population growth, urbanization and the concerns of sustainability and inclusive socio-economic growth.

Source :

Politecnico di Milano