Ethiopia Holds Strong Potential to Contribute to Africa's Digital Transformation: JICA Advisor

Addis Ababa, October 1, 2026 (ENA)— Ethiopia's growing technology talent and government support for the technology ecosystem are creating a strong potential for the country to contribute to Africa's digital transformation, said Takeshi Oikawa, Chief Advisor of a JICA project and Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) East Africa.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Oikawa, who has been involved in Ethiopia's digital transformation alongside technology startups and the government, stated that the country's young, ambitious, and technology-savvy talent, combined with government efforts to build an enabling ecosystem, gives him strong confidence in Ethiopia's digital future.

"I think that this young talent and government support, when combined, make me very optimistic about the digital transformation of Ethiopia," he said.

He particularly cited the Ministry of Innovation and Technology's efforts to support startups through the Startup Act, including incentives, support, and coaching for young technology companies.

Oikawa noted that Ethiopia's digital growth could also have wider benefits for Africa, considering the country's large population and economy, as well as its potential to provide technology and digital services to neighboring African countries.

"Booming Ethiopia means booming Africa," he said, adding that Ethiopian technology talent could provide more relevant and customized services to other African countries, creating opportunities for Ethiopia to expand its service exports.

He also commended Ethiopia's efforts to position itself as a Pan-African AI hub, highlighting the establishment of the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute and its mandate to drive the country's AI agenda.

According to Oikawa, having a clearly mandated institution leading the AI agenda gives Ethiopia a strong foundation, while the country also needs to balance the opportunities created by AI with potential risks and safety concerns.

He further pointed to opportunities for stronger technology cooperation between Japan and Ethiopia, particularly in AI and robotics.

"Japan and Ethiopia can work together to advance the AI agenda," Oikawa said, noting Japan's experience in AI technology and robotics and the potential to combine the two fields.

Oikawa praised Ethiopia's approach of establishing institutions with clear mandates to advance technology and AI while developing policies intended to enable private-sector players, including startups, to grow.

He encouraged Ethiopia's technology and AI ecosystem to think beyond conventional development paths and take advantage of opportunities created by rapid technological change.

His message to Ethiopia's technology and AI ecosystem was to "think out of the box," stressing that technological development is no longer necessarily linear and that countries can leapfrog stages of development.

He also underscored the importance of simultaneously managing AI-related risks and unlocking the technology's opportunities.