Borrowed metrics, missed insights: why Africa needs its own STI playbook

Key Points

• The aim is to highlight the inadequacy of existing STI metrics in reflecting Africa's unique innovation landscape and to advocate for the development of tailored measures.
• Analyzing existing STI metrics and their application in Africa.
• Examining case studies like M-Pesa and AfriLabs.
• Discussing the implications for continental strategies such as the STI Strategy for Africa 2034.
• Conventional STI measures fail to capture local innovations that have significant social impacts.
• The need for metrics that prioritize local advancements over patent counts is emphasized.
• Effective implementation of STI strategies is contingent on developing appropriate indicators reflective of Africa's realities.

Abstract