Africa Tech Rises on Automation and Infrastructure Gains

Infrastructure at scale and the push for automation culture are reshaping the African tech landscape as digital adoption accelerates across the continent. Michael Uanikehi, a senior DevOps engineer with expertise in cloud-native systems and automation, highlights the need for observable, resilient, and reproducible infrastructure in the current era of cloud-native applications. He emphasizes the importance of infrastructure-as-code and version control in ensuring system stability and minimizing risks [1]. Uanikehi's work at Techchak involves designing systems for financial, health tech, and logistics firms, where infrastructure must support cross-border operations while safeguarding sensitive data.

Uanikehi points to a notable cultural gap in the tech ecosystem: many teams still rely on local laptops for CI/CD deployments despite the availability of powerful automation tools. He attributes this to a lack of cultural shift within organizations, noting that tools like GitHub Actions or ArgoCD can't replace fundamental changes in mindset and collaboration [1]. For automation to succeed, trust and shared responsibility must be fostered among team members. This is particularly important in startups, where DevOps is often treated as an individual role rather than a collective culture involving development, security, and operations [1].

A recent project Uanikehi led involved transitioning from IBM UrbanCode to GitHub Actions in a multi-region setup. The complexity extended beyond the technical tools, encompassing orchestration, stakeholder alignment, and a live cutover strategy. Key steps included improving pipelines, building reusable workflows, and implementing Vault for secret management, all while integrating a Slack-based approval system for transparency [1].

Beyond technical infrastructure, Uanikehi is deeply invested in expanding digital access in Nigeria. Having started his career in internet cafés in Benin, he now advocates for inclusive tech education and infrastructure deployment to ensure no potential engineer is left offline. He stresses that digital literacy, broadband access, and mentorship are crucial for bridging the opportunity gap [1].

For African startups, Uanikehi recommends embedding observability from the outset and treating infrastructure as a shared responsibility. Scalability, he argues, is not just about code but about building resilient systems that function reliably without relying on a single engineer’s availability [1]. This aligns with broader trends where automation is seen not as a tool but as a mindset that supports continuous innovation.

As African tech continues to evolve, there is a growing recognition of the need for advanced algorithms—particularly in training and inference—to leverage the increasing compute power available. While infrastructure is improving, the next phase will depend on how effectively the continent can integrate AI into its systems and address gaps in algorithmic capabilities [2].

International interest in Africa's tech and infrastructure developments is also rising, particularly in energy and maritime sectors. Cross-border investments from Chinese firms are playing a significant role in supporting large-scale projects, indicating a shift toward collaborative, large-scale infrastructure development [8].

To remain competitive, African tech firms must continue to refine their automation culture and invest in foundational algorithmic capabilities. The shift from apprehension to collaboration with AI is a promising sign, but sustained success will require a balance between technological advancement and cultural adaptation [6].

Source:

[1] https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/6890dc770123344c94ed51ce/

[2] https://singjupost.com/ai-expert-panel-americas-ai-plan-the-end-of-google-search-the-next-chatgpt-transcript/

[8] https://africaports.co.za/2025/08/04/africa-ports-ships-maritime-news-3-4-august-2025/