Africa Climbs in WIPO’s 2025 Global Innovation Index, With Namibia’s Leap Signalling Continental Tech Surge
Africa bucked global innovation stagnation in the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII), released September 17, with the continent’s average score rising 1.2 points to 25.4, outpacing the world’s flatline. Namibia led the charge, jumping 11 spots to 88th globally, followed by Morocco (+9 to 65th), South Africa (+8 to 60th), Nigeria (+8 to 109th), and Tunisia (+5 to 75th)—a testament to targeted reforms in R&D and startups.
The GII, analysing 132 economies, credits Africa’s gains to booming digital ecosystems: Namibia’s Silicon Savannah initiatives drew $200 million in VC for AI agritech, while Morocco’s green hydrogen push secured EU partnerships. Nigeria’s fintech patents surged 30%, and South Africa’s renewable patents hit record highs. WIPO Director General Daren Tang hailed it: “Africa’s innovators are rewriting the narrative, turning challenges into IP goldmines.”
For African builders, this is prime time: Entrepreneurs can tap WIPO’s $50 million Africa Innovation Fund for patent filings, with Namibia’s model—blending public grants and private accelerators—yielding 15% GDP growth in tech. As one Namibian founder shared, “Our leap isn’t luck—it’s policy meeting private grit.”
The 2025 GII spotlights Africa’s enterprise edge. Amid global slowdowns, these climbs prove the continent’s innovators are not just catching up—they’re setting the pace for a $1 trillion digital economy by 2030.
