Technology transfer (the movement of technology and related expertise from regions where it is highly advanced to regions where it is lacking) is central to achieving Africa’s long-term socio-economic goals. African investment treaties, pivotal in the shaping of legal frameworks for technology transfer, vary in their approach to regulation, creating ambiguity and heightened legal risk for African states seeking to mandate such transfers. These express and implied restrictions inhibit the ability of African states to leverage foreign investment for technological advancement.
Stanley U. Nweke-Eze calls for strong institutional capacity and harmonized legal frameworks, alongside complementary measures, to support effective technology absorption. Technology could be more than a tool for importing foreign innovations into the continent; it could serve as a pathway for enhancing local capacity building and developing sustainable systems.
