Disruptive Tendencies of African-nurtured Innovations

Disruptive Innovation is fast becoming a buzzword. Ever since Clayton Christensen has popularised the concept in his book The Innovator’s Dilemma, there has been an increase in the awareness and consciousness of what disruption is, and the threats and opportunities inherent in it. I have always been of the opinion that Africa is perfectly situated in a circumstance that can bring about and nurture massive disruptive tendencies in the global scene. The reason for this is simply an understanding of what it disruptive innovation means and how it happens on a regular basis; i.e. understanding the theory of disruption. A study of the concept reveals that due to the hitherto long period in which only very few technologies or solutions have been used in the African continent, there has been a massive population of the continent’s citizens that can fall into the non-consumption category of most hi-tech solutions in the west. Hence, I do believe that this tendency of non-consumption and the disruptive efficiencies that may be caused by these are important to look into.