World Development Information Day
Mobilising public opinion for Africa’s digital and development future
The conversation about development is increasingly tied to science, technology, and innovation. From renewable energy to digital finance and agricultural biotechnology, new solutions are reshaping the continent’s economic and social landscape.
However, while these advancements promise progress, their impact depends on one critical factor: public understanding and participation. Mobilising public opinion around the interdependent nature of development is essential if Africa is to harness science and technology in ways that truly serve its people.
Africa’s development challenges, whether in education, health, agriculture, or governance, are deeply interconnected. For example, improving health outcomes depends not only on medical innovation but also on access to clean water, reliable energy, and digital health systems that reach rural areas.
Similarly, enhancing agricultural productivity requires a combination of local knowledge, data-driven insights, and regional trade frameworks that enable farmers to access markets effectively. No sector can advance in isolation.
Mobilising public opinion around this interdependence can help citizens, policymakers, and investors see that sustainable progress demands cooperation across disciplines, sectors, and borders.
Science and Technology play a central role in this vision, but public understanding often lags behind innovation. In many countries, digital technologies have expanded faster than awareness of how to use them safely and productively.
The digital divide, between rural and urban communities, between youth and older populations, and between men and women, continues to shape who benefits from technological change. Mobilising public opinion, therefore, means creating a shared literacy around science and technology: how they work, why they matter, and how they can be used responsibly.
Education is key to this process. Building scientific and digital literacy at all levels, from primary schools to community workshops, can help people understand the opportunities and risks that accompany rapid technological change. For instance, a farmer using mobile-based weather forecasts is engaging in science-based decision-making; a student learning to code or analyse data is preparing to participate in a digital economy. Public institutions, civil society, and the private sector all have a role in communicating science in ways that are accessible, relevant, and linked to everyday life.
However, the mobilisation of public opinion is not only about education but also about ownership. Africans, both within the continent and in the diaspora, have a shared responsibility in accelerating the continent’s progress. The African diaspora possesses vast potential in terms of skills, networks, and resources that can help close the technological and research gaps that persist in many countries. When scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators abroad connect with communities at home, they can transfer not only knowledge but also confidence in Africa’s ability to generate its own solutions.
At the same time, governments and institutions must create the enabling environment for this engagement. Policies that support open data, research collaboration, and digital inclusion can make science and technology integral to everyday governance, rather than confining them to elite discourse. Public communication, through media, community forums, and online platforms, can help citizens see how innovations in health, energy, and education are directly linked to their aspirations for better livelihoods and stronger communities.
The COVID-19 pandemic offered a clear lesson: when science, communication, and community trust align, societies respond more effectively to crisis. The same principle applies to broader development challenges. Mobilising public understanding of interdependence between health and environment, technology and equity, innovation and ethics, can strengthen collective resilience and shared purpose across the continent.
Africa’s transformation depends not only on inventing new tools but on building a culture of informed participation. The power of public opinion lies in shaping policies that reflect the continent’s values and priorities. When Africans everywhere recognise that development is a shared responsibility, and that technology and science are tools of empowerment rather than exclusion, progress becomes more inclusive and sustainable.
