Innovation is often understood through a Western lens, focusing on technological advancements and breakthroughs originating from developed nations. However, a new perspective challenges this view, highlighting Africa not merely as a recipient of innovation, but as a continent deeply rooted in its own unique and dynamic processes of science, technology, and innovation (STI). This perspective, championed by scholars across various disciplines, argues that to truly understand “What Does Innovation Mean,” we must look beyond the conventional and acknowledge the rich tapestry of African knowledge systems and practices.
This re-evaluation emphasizes that STI in Africa is not simply a matter of “technology transfer” from elsewhere. Instead, it is the vibrant expression of African ingenuity, born from African ways of seeing, interpreting, and creating. African intellectuals are active agents in this process, their insights forming credible knowledge and their strategic use of both local and external resources shaping an African-centric understanding of STI. As Clapperton Chakanetsa Mavhunga, editor of a seminal work on the subject, aptly notes, “Things do not (always) mean the same from everywhere.” This statement underscores that Western definitions of STI, often embedded in colonialist thought, cannot be universally applied, especially when examining the African context.
Consider how indigenous knowledge, often dismissed or trivialized during colonial times, plays a crucial role in African innovation. Examples abound, from the ingenious repurposing of everyday materials into tools of resistance during chimurenga, to the resourceful adaptation of mobile technologies to suit local needs and contexts. Furthermore, the historical contributions of enslaved Africans in America as innovators and synthesizers of knowledge, the deeply ingrained African ethos of “fixing” and problem-solving, and the strategic building upon domestic capacities for innovation all demonstrate a unique and powerful African approach to STI.
Ultimately, understanding “what does innovation mean” from an African perspective reveals a continent that is inherently creative, technological, and scientific. African STI is not a recent phenomenon but rather the latest chapter in a long and ongoing narrative of accumulated, multicultural knowledge production. This perspective encourages us to broaden our understanding of innovation, recognizing its diverse forms and expressions across the globe, and appreciating the significant contributions of African knowledge to the global landscape of science, technology, and innovation.
