African universities must train technology creators, not just consumers – Sam Jonah

He warned that Africa risks becoming overly dependent on imported technologies if its universities focus primarily on training students to use existing digital tools rather than empowering them to design, develop and build their own.

Speaking on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at the Methodist University Ghana International Conference organised to commemorate the institution’s 25th anniversary, Sir Sam Jonah called for a shift towards innovation, technical capacity and problem-solving in higher education.

He said the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, data-driven systems and automation presents both significant opportunities and potential risks for Africa, particularly if the continent fails to establish a strong technological development base.

“Now we face the next wave: artificial intelligence, data, automation. And here I want to be candid. There is a real danger that Africa becomes only a consumer of these technologies, never a creator.

“That we import the tools, export our data, and pay rent on both. We did that with gold for a century. We shipped the raw ore and bought back the finished goods. We must not do it again with data.

“First, build, do not just buy. Our universities must produce people who can write the code, not just use the app. Every country that has leapt forward did so by building its own technical class.

“Second, solve African problems first. The biggest opportunities are not in copying what works in London or San Francisco. They are in farming, health, logistics, energy and finance for the hundreds of millions our formal systems still do not reach.”