Technology production: A challenge for economic growth and development in Africa

Africa has recently become the world second fastest growing region, but still, poverty has not improved accordingly. The paper makes the case that in order to further boost economic growth and promote development, African economies need to go beyond imitation and technology transfer and start producing technology. Some of the arguments are: innovation generates stronger growth gains than imitation and copying; stronger international patent protection contributes to hinder the imitation process; technology tends to be purpose-driven and can be inappropriate. Drawing on the determinants of two features of world research and development distribution, that is, concentration over half of the world countries and underinvestment, the paper goes on to suggest ways in which Africa may go about spending significantly on R&D and discuss the corresponding challenges they will face.