Will Africa Always Be a Spectator in Tech Breakthroughs?

Tesla’s unveiling of the Optimus robot—a humanoid capable of watering plants, delivering packages, and possibly revolutionizing labor—is a groundbreaking step. But as Elon Musk envisions a future of tech-enhanced life, one can’t help but ask: Why isn’t Africa part of this narrative?

We often watch from the sidelines, witnessing monumental shifts in technology that seem out of reach for our continent. It’s a pattern we’ve seen before: major technological advancements happening in places like Silicon Valley while African countries, including Zimbabwe, scramble to catch up. 

The question is, why are we always behind? It’s not a lack of talent or ambition; in fact, we have a lot of  tech innovators. The real issue lies in the gaps—investment, infrastructure, and scalable tech ecosystems that allow African talent to thrive on a global stage. 

Take Tesla’s Optimus, for example. While the robot promises to perform everyday tasks and provide labor efficiency, can we afford such technology in a continent where basic necessities like electricity and stable internet remain a challenge? We face the hurdle of infrastructure deficits that prevent our innovators from pushing the envelope.

Africa’s Strength: Innovation Born from Necessity

The reality is, Africa has always been a place of innovation, but often out of necessity. Mobile money platforms like M-Pesa revolutionized banking across when traditional financial systems failed. We have the potential to leapfrog certain technologies, just as we did with mobile banking.  So why not robotics? Why not AI? - Why not deeptech?

The Path Forward: Innovation, Investment, Infrastructure

Catching up means more than just adopting foreign technology—it means fostering our own. African governments and the private sector must collaborate to invest in digital infrastructure and cultivate an environment where homegrown technologies can scale. Our innovators are ready to create solutions for our unique challenges. We must back them, financially and structurally, to compete on the global stage.

A Vision of Tomorrow

Imagine a future where Zimbabwean startups develop AI solutions for African agriculture, or where a Nigerian team designs robots tailored for Africa’s industries. Instead of waiting for the next big thing to arrive from elsewhere, we can create our own tech revolutions, powered by African ingenuity.

The Optimus robot is a reminder of what’s possible—and what’s at stake. We must decide whether to continue watching the world’s tech giants forge ahead, or to step up and become global leaders ourselves. The world won’t wait, and neither should we.

So, what’s stopping us?