UNILAG secures grant for digital maturity study

The African Engineering and Technology Network (AFRETEC) has awarded the University of Lagos (UNILAG) a seed grant to carry out a study on digital maturity in African youth-led businesses.

The grant is part of AFRETEC’s ‘Building Research Capacity to Advance the Inclusive Digital Transformation of Africa’ programme.

The study led by a UNILAG lecturer in the Faculty of Management Sciences, Obigbemi Imoleayo, will run for one year.

According to a statement Tuesday, the project will focus on “Evaluating Digital Transformation and Maturity in youth-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Across Sub-Saharan Africa.”

The research will involve extensive studies in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, in partnership with the University of Nairobi and the University of the Witwatersrand.

However, details of the grant amount have not been disclosed.

More about study

The study aims to investigate digital maturity across the health, energy, environment, and sustainability sectors, addressing critical challenges and opportunities in Africa’s MSME ecosystem.

According to Ms Imoleayo, Africa’s MSMEs are pivotal to economic growth, providing employment and tackling pressing global development challenges.

However, she lamented that the enterprises face high failure rates, often lacking the digital maturity needed to compete and grow sustainably.

Recognising the transformative potential of digital technology, she said the study seeks to assess the state of digital transformation in the various sectors, create a clear understanding of MSMEs’ digital capacities, and offer solutions to boost resilience and sustainability.

Ms Imoleayo added that the research will proceed through distinct phases over the coming year, with the initial months focusing on setting objectives, refining methodologies, and building partnerships.

“A comprehensive literature review and framework development are planned for months three and four, setting the groundwork for a digital maturity assessment survey and qualitative interviews.

“These surveys and interviews will gauge digital capabilities and capture the lived experiences of MSMEs in adapting to new technologies.

“In the final stages, findings will be analysed and disseminated through workshops, conferences, and academic publications, ultimately informing policies that will accelerate MSMEs’ digital transformation,” she said.

MSMEs challenges

Ms Imoleayo further reiterated that despite the advantages digital transformation offers, MSMEs often struggle to adopt necessary technologies due to resource constraints, including limited budgets, knowledge gaps, and time constraints.

“This research will investigate several key questions, including the current level of digital maturity in MSMEs across sectors; the challenges and opportunities MSMEs encounter when adopting digital technologies; the impact of digital maturity on MSMEs’ business performance, innovation, and sustainability; and strategies and interventions to enhance MSMEs’ digital maturity,” she noted.

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She added that findings from the study will be analysed and disseminated through workshops, conferences, and academic publications, ultimately informing policies that will accelerate MSMEs’ digital transformation.

“The engagement of UNILAG with AFRETEC through this grant underlines the University’s commitment to advancing Africa’s digital transformation, ensuring that MSMEs can thrive in a rapidly evolving global landscape,” the statement added.

About AFRETEC

AFRETEC is a pan-African collaboration of technology-focused universities from across the African continent.

“The network will build a strong knowledge creation and educational infrastructure on the continent. It will also provide a platform for its members to engage in deep collaboration that drives inclusive digital growth in Africa,” a section of the body’s website partly reads.

AFRETEC will create a platform for technology-focused universities in Africa to drive inclusive digital growth by collaborating on teaching and learning, knowledge creation, and entrepreneurship activities within the area of engineering and technology.