Africa’s digital transformation challenge has less to do with technology than many business leaders believe. Instead, success depends on whether organizations can help people embrace change, according to speakers at DigiBiz Africa’s latest open webinar on overcoming barriers to digital transformation.
The discussion brought together entrepreneurs, business support practitioners and technology leaders to examine why organizations continue to struggle with digital adoption despite increasing internet access and growing investment in digital tools.
The session was moderated by DigiBiz Africa host Nomvuyo Bengane, who framed the discussion by reminding participants that while internet access continues to grow, “adoption is not transformation” and that lasting digital change is a continuous process.
Polling conducted during the webinar reflected the challenge. More than half of participants (55%) said they lacked time to learn new digital tools, while others pointed to difficulties getting teams on board, low trust in digital financial systems and broader resistance to change.
Monica Brown, founder of AI Playground, said organizations often mistake technology for the problem when the real obstacle is human behavior.
Drawing on neuroscience and organizational leadership, Brown explained that employees naturally perceive unfamiliar digital systems as threats.
“It’s not bad character, it’s biology,” she said, noting that people under pressure instinctively retreat to familiar ways of working instead of embracing change.
She argued that many businesses fail because they introduce new software without creating psychological safety.
Instead of simply instructing employees to use a new platform, leaders should acknowledge anxieties, explain the benefits and allow teams to learn together. “We just made them feel safe,” Brown said while describing how trust can transform resistance into ownership.
Brown also challenged traditional IT training, saying it focuses too heavily on teaching mechanics while ignoring confidence, mindset and organizational culture.
Coaching, she argued, builds digital confidence and emotional readiness, making organizations significantly more likely to succeed in adopting new technologies.
She linked digital transformation to Africa’s broader economic ambitions, describing it as essential for businesses seeking opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Digital transformation is not a luxury,” Brown said, but a strategic necessity for organizations wanting to compete across borders and prepare Africa’s young workforce for the future.
Preparing businesses for tomorrow’s customers
Offering a financial services perspective, GoTyme Bank South Africa CEO Cheslyn Jacobs urged business owners to think beyond today’s customers.
He said tomorrow’s consumers, shaped by growing up in a digital-first world, will have fundamentally different expectations, meaning businesses must begin preparing now rather than reacting later.
Jacobs said businesses should view digital transformation through the eyes of tomorrow’s customers rather than today’s. He noted that younger generations are growing up in a digital-first world and will expect faster, simpler and more intuitive experiences.
Leaders, he argued, have a responsibility to build organizations that will remain relevant long into the future, not only while they are in charge.
Jacobs also urged entrepreneurs to rethink how they define trust in the digital economy. While technology continues to evolve, he said the bigger challenge is ensuring businesses can meet changing customer expectations over time.
“The customers that you’re going to serve tomorrow are completely different to anybody you’re interacting with today,” he said, urging business owners to build organizations that are ready for that future.
Brown concluded that digital transformation starts with leadership. “Your ultimate competitive advantage is not the software you buy, but the psychological safety and digital trust you build with your team,” she said, arguing that technology succeeds only when people feel confident enough to embrace it.
