Covid-19 and Digitalization: Maximizing Gains from Adoption of Digital Technologies

COVID-19 continues to take lives and cripple economies globally. Despite the devastation, economic and otherwise, caused by the virus, opportunities have also arisen, at least for those able to perceive and act on them. The movement and trade restrictions imposed by governments on account of the virus in many Sub-Saharan African countries, have seen businesses adopt digital technologies in their business operations to ensure they continue to operate. Besides providing an avenue to continue operations in the context of movement and trade restrictions, digital technologies improve business efficiency and customer experience, both essential for business sustainability. A number of important policy questions arise on the back of this development. Can businesses and consumers maintain the appetite for the use of digital technologies post COVID-19? Does the business environment (infrastructure, legal & policy framework) promote or facilitate the use of digital technologies? What can governments do to ensure maximum gain from the uptake of digital technologies? This short article highlights three important policy considerations: (i) physical internet connectivity, (ii) transport infrastructure, and (iii) the legal framework and institutional capacity. The article focuses sharply on Botswana, though the issues highlighted apply in most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.