As global leaders gather for the G20 Financial Inclusion and Women’s Empowerment Conference in Sun City from 6 to 9 May, last week the B20 SA Digital Transformation Taskforce presented a bold vision for accelerating inclusive digital transformation across the African continent.
Taskforce representatives highlighted key policy priorities, barriers to progress, and the Africa’s strategic leadership in digital innovation during a high-level United Nations Global Compact Network South Africa (GCNSA) Sustainability Leadership Conference panel session.
The four-person panel comprised Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, chair of B20 SA Taskforce on Digital Transformation, Xolile Mabhongo: G20 SA Sous Sherpa, Cas Coovadia: B20 SA Sherpa, and Busi Mavuso: CEO, BLSA.
Driving opportunity in a digital economy
Mahanyele-Dabengwa underscored the critical role the digital economy plays in shaping future economic opportunities.
“As the global economy becomes increasingly digital, it’s imperative that we implement policies that enable innovation and ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate,” Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa said.
Mahanyele-Dabengwa defined four key priorities:
- Connectivity – With nearly a third of the global population still offline, the Taskforce is advocating for investments in connectivity infrastructure and greater accessibility to affordable digital devices, especially in underserved regions and among women.
- Skills Development – The digital revolution is expected to create 170 million new jobs by 2030 while displacing 92 million. The Taskforce is prioritising both basic and advanced digital literacy to prepare individuals for a rapidly evolving job market.
- AI Ethics – As artificial intelligence reshapes industries, the Taskforce calls for governance frameworks that promote fairness, accountability, and transparency to ensure AI-driven growth is inclusive and responsible.
- Actionability – Beyond strategy, the Taskforce is committed to driving real-world impact through implementation-focused partnerships and policy action.
Policy barriers and enablers
Addressing challenges that hinder digital progress, Mahanyele-Dabengwa identified outdated legislation as a significant constraint.
“The pace of technology evolution far outstrips our legal frameworks,” she said, citing South Africa’s Electronic Communications Act as an example.
The Act does not yet accommodate emerging technologies like cloud computing and platform-based business models, resulting in regulatory uncertainty and stalled investment.
Delays in spectrum allocation and insufficient support for community networks were also flagged as obstacles to digital inclusion.
Another pressing concern is financing digital infrastructure, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas.
Mahanyele-Dabengwa called for a more pro-investment environment marked by policy certainty and reduced entry barriers for investors.
“We also need to invest in our people,” she added, emphasising the urgent need to embed digital literacy in school curricula and reform post-school training systems.
South Africa’s Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), meant to foster workforce readiness, was described as “fragmented and out of sync” with the demands of the digital economy.
Africa’s Digital Leadership
Despite the challenges, the continent is already setting global benchmarks in several digital domains, noted Mahanyele-Dabengwa:
- Digital finance: Africa leads in mobile money innovation and interoperable payment systems, with solutions like M-Pesa and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) driving financial inclusion and trade.
- Digital public infrastructure: Countries like South Africa and Nigeria are advancing initiatives such as digital identity systems, mobile government services, and electronic tax platforms, improving access to public services.
- Modern tech ecosystems: With fewer legacy systems, African countries are leapfrogging into mobile-first, cloud-native models, offering strategic advantages in the adoption of AI and platform-based services.
Recent engagements through Operation Vulindlela – South Africa’s digital reform roadmap – signal renewed government commitment to scaling innovations in digital ID, data exchange, and e-payments.
Path to acceleration
Looking ahead, Mahanyele-Dabengwa laid out a roadmap to fast-track transformation:
- Broaden access through inclusive infrastructure (e.g., satellite, community networks).
- Scale digital public goods like e-health, digital ID, and payment platforms.
- Invest in Africa’s youth, empowering them as digital creators through targeted education, entrepreneurship support, and innovation ecosystems.
“With the right policies, partnerships, and investments, we can unlock Africa’s full potential in the digital age,” Mahanyele-Dabengwa concluded.
Who is Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa?
Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa is a prominent South African business executive and CEO of Naspers South Africa, a position she has held since July 2019.
Her appointment marked a historic milestone as she became the first black African to lead the century-old media and technology conglomerate in its home market.
Education and early career
Mahanyele-Dabengwa was born in Meadowlands, Soweto, and pursued her higher education in the United States and the United Kingdom. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Douglass College at Rutgers University in 1993, followed by an MBA from De Montfort University in Leicester in 1996. In 2008, she completed the “Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century” executive program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Her professional journey began in 1993 at Fieldstone Private Capital Group in New York, an investment banking firm specialising in infrastructure development. She rose to the position of vice-president before transferring to the firm’s South African office. Subsequently, she served as the head of project finance: South Africa at the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
Leadership roles and achievements
In 2004, Mahanyele-Dabengwa joined Shanduka Group, an investment holding company founded by Cyril Ramaphosa, where she served as CEO until 2015. She then co-founded Sigma Capital, an investment firm, and served as its executive chairperson. In July 2019, she was appointed CEO of Naspers South Africa, becoming the first Black African to lead the company in its home market.
Beyond her corporate roles, she has been actively involved in various initiatives aimed at youth development and empowerment. She participates in the “Dignity Day” programme led by the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum, focusing on empowering youth to articulate their ambitions and gain respect through dignity.
Recognitions and board memberships
Mahanyele-Dabengwa’s contributions have been widely recognised. She was named ForbesWoman Africa’s “Business Woman of the Year” in 2014 and received CNBC Africa’s All Africa Business Leaders “Woman of the Year Award” in 2019. In 2020, she was listed among Forbes’ “Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women”.
She serves on several boards, including as an independent director of Vodacom and Discovery Insure. She is also a member of the advisory board of Stellenbosch University’s business school.
