Community and Large-Scale Digital Transformation for Poverty Eradication and Economic Growth in Africa: A Rapid Review of Existing Research for the Period 2013–2023

This article investigates recent scholarly research on large-scale community and digital transformation (DT) in Africa that relates to SDG 1 (no poverty) and SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth). The study used a rapid review approach to get an exploratory overview of recent scholarly research on the topic. Thirty-seven scholarly papers were included and analysed, departing from a sociotechnical perspective. The findings present a fragmented picture. Most of the studies were quantitative and cross-sectional. A significant number of studies focused on aspects of agriculture, underscoring the importance of agriculture in terms of economic sustainability in Africa. Many studies do not indicate any conceptual foundations that inform the research, or the results presented. The dimensions of DT that were focused on include drivers and disruptions, enablers and constraints, the DT process, and outcomes. The most significant technology related to DT in Africa is mobile technologies. It is also clear from these studies that the development of appropriate technologies cannot be viewed separately from their contexts. Given this, the geographical coverage of Africa in the studies is too limited. The actual changes in the sociotechnical systems during DT are not adequately researched. Studies only focused in a limited way on novel and niche technologies. There is limited evidence of a focus on gender issues, despite their importance. There is a significant scope for qualitative longitudinal studies, and such studies should be accessible to key decision makers and role players.