Top 5 African countries with the highest number of tech hubs in 2019

There are currently 618 tech hubs in Africa representing a 40 per cent leap since 2018 when 442 hubs were counted in the continent. These figures were made known in the latest GMSA report produced in a collaborative effort by Briter Bridges and the GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator programme.

According to the GSMA report, the hubs categories were predominantly based on the type of support or facility offered to entrepreneurs which include incubators, accelerators, university-based innovation hubs, maker spaces, technology parks, and co-working spaces.

The report, however, notes that 25 per cent of the active total hubs only offer co-working facilities instead of specifically tech-focused support programmes or funding.

“However, we considered it appropriate to include such organisations in light of the broader social role they play in the tech community as safe spaces for the youth and catalysts of digital professionals.”

At the bottom of the list of African countries with the highest number of tech hubs are Zimbabwe, Togo and Mali, with 12, 13 and 14 hubs respectively.

Here are Africa’s top 5 countries with the highest number of tech hubs.