The latest IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking assesses countries’ abilities to adopt and leverage digital technologies for economic transformation. For 2024, the ranking evaluated 67 economies across the globe using 59 criteria: 38 quantitative measures and 21 survey-based indicators, including broadband access and innovation infrastructure. Four of these countries are in Africa, with Ghana and Nigeria appearing for the first time. South Africa leads with a score of 50.49, ranking 54th globally, followed by Botswana (60th), Ghana (65th), and Nigeria (66th). While digital tools drive growth and efficiency globally, disparities in access to broadband, electricity, and telecommunications networks pose significant challenges to Africa’s digital transformation. They hinder participation in the global digital economy and exacerbate social inequalities on the continent. However, the inclusion of two new countries bodes well for it.
SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER
