Africa’s quest to use innovations for sustainable development could suffer as only eight countries in Sub-Saharan Africa were ranked in the top 100 countries of the latest Global Innovation Index (GII).
The GII, which was released last month measures components of innovation inputs such as human capital, research and business sophistication and results of innovation.
According to the index published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, Cornell University in the United States and INSEAD, a global business school, the top 10 most innovation countries in Africa feature Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania.
Top 10 Most Innovative Countries in Africa 2018
1. South Africa
2. Tunisia
3. Mauritius
4. Morocco
5. Kenya
6. Botswana
7. Tanzania
8. Namibia
9. Egypt
10. Rwanda
According to Lavin, African countries mostly likely to come up with innovation inputs and outputs in the near future that may push them amongst the top globally if they continue to support innovation budgets, prioritise innovation reporting are Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Tunisia.
Of the 126 countries ranked, the ten least innovative countries in Africa include Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Togo and Zambia
Top 10 Least Innovative Countries in Africa 2018
10. Mozambique
9. Nigeria
8. Guinea
7. Zambia
6. Benin
5. Niger
3. Ivory Coast
2, Burkina Faso
1. Togo
Speaking on the low ranking of African countries in the index, Yogi Naik, director of research and innovation at the National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe, had this to say “The greatest mishap that confronts Africa is its reluctance to dedicate massive budgets for technological and smart development,” Naik. “The continent has a competitive human capital to drive innovations agenda.”
Methodology
According to Bruno Lanvin, co-editor of the 2018 GII and the executive director of INSEAD’s global indices, data for the report were obtained from governments through their respective ministries, statistical agencies as well as international public and private sources.
