While technological innovation is gaining momentum in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, a recent study across 19 countries highlights a major obstacle: fragmented ecosystems. A few countries, such as Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, are moving ahead with clearer digital strategies, but most are not.

Nineteen countries in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa (FSSA) are pushing forward with technological innovation in working-class neighborhoods, university labs, incubators and government offices. EY’s 2025 Innovation Observatory reports that the region now hosts more than 862 startups, with over 60 percent concentrated in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These firms are developing solutions tailored to local needs, heavy mobile-phone use and the daily realities of the population.

Since 2021, private equity investment has also shifted. Sixty percent of transactions now target innovative ventures such as startups or companies in transformation. Before 2020, 83 percent focused on already-established businesses, signaling a subtle but meaningful structural change. Despite this evolution, FSSA still captures only a small share of Africa’s overall startup funding, receiving just 10 to 15 percent of the capital raised across the continent, compared with more than 55 percent going to Anglophone Africa and over 25 percent to North Africa.

Benin, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire stood out in 2024 for their strong appeal to investors. The region’s potential is significant but remains undervalued. A key factor behind this gap is the weak governance and poor coordination among stakeholders in FSSA’s innovation ecosystems. EY’s country mapping reveals a highly fragmented landscape, with a handful of pioneers making progress while most countries struggle to organize their ecosystems.

Four Distinct Ecosystem Profiles Reveal Uneven Institutional Strengths

EY identifies four broad categories of innovation ecosystems across the region. The first group consists of more advanced environments found in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and Djibouti, where relatively solid institutions and clearer governance frameworks support entrepreneurship. The second group includes countries with more consolidated foundations, such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Togo, and Gabon; their ecosystems function but still need improvement. A third group covers countries where systems are still being built, including Guinea, the DRC, Burundi, Mauritania and Niger, where progress is visible but limited by fragile institutions. The final group comprises emerging ecosystems in Madagascar, the Central African Republic, the Comoros, Chad and Congo, where the innovation base remains embryonic and fundamental structures still need to be established.

Djibouti, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon lead the rankings thanks to steadier governance and a more dynamic entrepreneurial scene. Incubators and technology hubs, such as CTIC Dakar, act as bridges between startups, universities and major companies. They facilitate co-creation and help structure partnerships; more than 60 percent of collaborative projects involve at least two categories of actors, indicating an ecosystem that is becoming more integrated.

Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo, Mali, and the DRC have considerable economic potential but find it difficult to consolidate their institutional systems. This limits their ability to convert opportunities into concrete projects. Niger, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Burundi, and Mauritania have made progress in developing public policies that support innovation, but weak institutions and inadequate infrastructure slow their momentum. In the Comoros, Madagascar, Chad, Congo, and Gabon, growth potential is strong but largely untapped. Collaboration remains minimal; in Madagascar, for example, only five percent of startups took part in cross-company collaboration programs.

Collaboration Gaps and Weak Governance Remain Major Barriers to Innovation

Beyond this country typology, the social and organizational dynamics reveal another divide. In the most advanced ecosystems of Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Djibouti, 22 percent of stakeholders interviewed rate collaboration as strong or very strong. Benin’s Sèmè City, an innovation and knowledge hub in Cotonou, illustrates this dynamic. It brings together incubators, universities and startups; more than 3,500 young people participated in training and entrepreneurship programs in 2024.

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Togo, and Gabon fall into an intermediate category. Fifty-five percent of stakeholders consider collaboration moderate or strong, while nine percent describe it as non-existent. Cooperation is often concentrated in capital cities or specific sectors, leaving large parts of the economy unconnected. In Guinea, the DRC, Burundi, Mauritania, and Niger, 52 percent of respondents describe collaboration as weak or non-existent. In Madagascar, the CAR, the Comoros, Chad, and Congo, 83 percent of actors report weak or absent collaboration.

Collaboration Levels Vary Widely Across the Region

The barriers identified are consistent across the region. The main obstacle is a limited culture of cooperation, cited by 73 percent of tech ecosystem stakeholders. Efforts remain siloed, with each stakeholder acting independently rather than jointly. The second major barrier is the lack of exchange platforms, mentioned by 62 percent of respondents, reflecting a shortage of meaningful forums, events, and formal networks where actors can coordinate and share experiences. A third challenge, cited by 57 percent, is the lack of a shared vision and coordination mechanisms, which leads to scattered initiatives and weak collective impact.

Even the most mature ecosystems are not exempt. In advanced and consolidated environments, more than a third of stakeholders still cite a weak cooperation culture, and up to a third note the absence of a shared vision. Nearly one-third mention the lack of spaces for dialogue, underscoring the need for both physical and virtual venues that bring together startups, universities, investors, and policymakers. In several countries, including the DRC, Burundi, Mauritania, Niger, Madagascar, the CAR, the Comoros, Chad, and Congo, these constraints are compounded by the absence of dedicated institutions, limited access to formal networks, and persistent infrastructure gaps.

Structural Obstacles Undermine Cooperation and Slow Innovation

Faced with this diagnosis, several promising approaches are emerging. Countries need to promote technology adoption in key sectors such as agriculture, health, education, and public administration to stimulate domestic demand for innovative solutions. They must also expand opportunities for engagement among entrepreneurs, investors, and decision-makers through national forums, digital platforms, and sector-specific networks. Governments can further support innovation by establishing targeted public funds and strengthening networks of hubs and incubators that serve as essential support structures.

Finally, building a vibrant entrepreneurial fabric with multiple active startups in each sector and a strong international outlook is critical to preventing isolated initiatives. The message from EY’s mapping is clear: the challenge holding back tech innovation in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa is not a lack of ideas but a lack of ecosystem cohesion. Fostering a culture of sustained collaboration and building shared governance structures now appears to be a key strategic priority.

Muriel EDJO