UKZN Helping Shape Africa’s Digital Future

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Advancing Africa’s Digital Transformation was the focus of a conference at the University of Mauritius at which UKZN played a prominent role. 

Professor Upasana Singh, Academic Leader and Associate Professor in the Discipline of Information Systems and Technology at UKZN, facilitated and chaired multiple sessions over the three-day conference, including high-level discussions on digital trade integration and the role of emerging technologies in economic development.

UKZN’s Dean of the School of Commerce Professor Stephen Mutula delivered remarks during the academic welcome, reinforcing the University’s strategic commitment to regional collaboration. 

The gathering - the TUTWA Empowering Africa’s Future Conference - focused on trade, technology and transformation attracting leading scholars, government officials, business leaders, and development practitioners from across Africa and beyond, all focused on advancing the continent’s digital transformation. 

The opening address was made by Junior Minister Hambyrajen Narsinghen of the Mauritian Ministry of Foreign Affairs who underscored the need for small island states like Mauritius to actively engage in the digital trade ecosystem. 

On the first day, Singh chaired a session titled: Digital Trade and Economic Integration, during which speakers explored the potential of digital systems to unite fragmented markets and drive economic growth. This highlighted that digital trade is not just a tool but a pathway to economic integration, efficiency, and inclusive participation across borders. 

The second session of the conference featured a panel discussion where Singh led a UKZN-hosted panel, on ‘Secure, Smart and Seamless - Harnessing Digital Technologies for Trade and Investment Growth’, which brought together international experts from Africa, India and the European Union to discuss AI, blockchain and cybersecurity. 

In these sessions Singh emphasised the need to reimagine Africa’s trade systems through a lens of trust, resilience, and innovation which drew widespread engagement from academics, policy-makers and industry leaders. 

Beyond her leadership on the programme, Singh also co-presented a research paper with Dr Julia Dahlvik of the University of Applied Sciences Campus Vienna. Titled Bridging the Divide: Digital Transformation, Public Service Access, and Educational Equity in South Africa’s Digital Future, the paper formed part of a larger Austrian Science Fund-funded project running from 2023 to 2027. 

“The study shed light on how digital equity remains closely tied to spatial and socio-economic disparities in South Africa,” said Singh. “Among the findings was the staggering statistic that over 1 700 schools in Gauteng still lack classroom connectivity, the persistent mistrust in digital public services due to previous delivery failures and the essential role of hybrid models in education and service delivery,” Singh explained. 

The research also highlighted the need for hybrid education models and the urgent recognition of internet access as a human right. 

“The conference yielded tangible outcomes for future partnerships,” said Singh. “UKZN initiated exploratory talks to form a Digital Trade Policy and Research Network involving African and Asian institutions, received invitations to co-host knowledge-sharing events on digital public infrastructure, and sparked interest from development partners eager to work with the University on policy research and capacity building,” she added in her closing reflections.

Words: Ayanda Radebe

Photographs: Supplied