Structural Transformation of Africa: Navigating the Future with Industry 4.0

Dear Colleagues,

Paradigm shifts brought about by the dynamics of fast technological advancement and accelerated innovation have been followed by waves of new technologies. The majority of industries are changing as a result of the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, which is bringing about smart manufacturing, cities, homes and lifestyles. The economy and society are becoming more digitally connected, which is producing massive volumes of data and necessitating the adoption of new technologies. Industry 4.0 in Africa has been expanding over the past few years and this trend is probably going to continue. Recent years have seen the creation of 1.7 million direct jobs (formal and informal), USD 144 billion in economic value (or 8.5 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa's GDP), and USD 15.6 billion in tax revenue for the public sector (GSMA, 2020). In addition, Africa is seeing a rapid spread of Industry 4.0 technologies, leading to involvement in the design of connected objects, robots, drones and 3D printers, among other things. With their high level of digitization, some African nations stand to gain greatly from Industry 4.0. Due to their potential to effectively address social and economic challenges in Africa, blockchain technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are also gaining popularity on the continent.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect theoretical and practical analyses of the Industry 4.0 implementation in African countries. It also aims to understand how African countries can adapt their public policies in order to help the implementation of technology of I4.0 within their key sectors. We welcome research that highlights the potential benefits, challenges and opportunities to implement Industry 4.0 projects, set the right laws and regulations, and put in place good incentives.

Potential subtopics could include, but are not limited to:

• Industry 4.0 and governance of projects in Africa;
• Ways to build good governance for Industry 4.0;
• International collaboration and Industry 4.0;
• Industry 4.0 and agriculture;
• Industry 4.0 and tourism;
• Smart production and smart factories;
• Industry 4.0 and production;
• Industry 4.0 in construction;
• Collaborative governance models for projects in Africa;
• Regulation for Industry 4.0 in Africa;
• Challenges of Industry 4.0 projects in Africa;
• Data privacy and cybersecurity in the governance of Industry 4.0 projects.

Prof. Dr. Adel Ben Youssef
Guest Editor

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• industry 4.0
• digital transformation
• Africa
• smart production
• smart factories
• governance 4.0