Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe has urged African universities to position themselves at the centre of the continent’s technological revival, arguing that Africa’s future hinges more on education, research and innovation than on politics.
He made the remarks during the launch of the SoonPay app at Makerere University in Kampala on Saturday 6. SoonPay is presented as an all-in-one digital wallet that helps users manage, move and potentially grow their money, and is being marketed as a comprehensive financial platform for both everyday payments and future-oriented digital transactions.
Addressing students, Prof. Nawangwe placed Africa’s current technological challenges in historical context. He said the continent once shaped global civilisation but later endured centuries of disruption that derailed its progress.
He cited 711 AD, when the Moors of North Africa occupied Spain for 700 years, introducing new architecture, engineering and learning systems. “They were the first to introduce stone-building technology there. Before that, Europeans had structures similar to the mud-and-wattle buildings many of us still use today,” he said.
Prof. Nawangwe added that although Europe adopted the knowledge introduced by Africans, the expulsion of the Moors marked the beginning of a reversal for Africa, followed by the transatlantic slave trade and colonial rule.
“For 400 years Africans were taken away. Even after slavery ended, it was followed by 200 years of colonial rule,” he said. “For a total of 600 years, Africa’s civilisation and technology were completely destroyed.”
He said Africa is now at a turning point, with most countries having been independent for only 60–70 years, and stressed that the continent can reclaim its place in the global knowledge economy if it prioritises innovation.
“What will liberate us from poverty is education, research and innovation. Nothing else,” he said.
Prof. Nawangwe described Makerere students as “the cream of Africa,” saying their presence at the continent’s oldest university places a responsibility on them to advance Africa’s transformation.
“You must understand your responsibility. You are the people who should contribute to transforming Africa,” he told them. He warned that Africa’s fast-growing youthful population could either be a demographic opportunity or a source of instability.
“These young people will either innovate and change Africa for the better, or destroy it if they are just waiting for jobs that are not there,” he said. Responding to concerns about graduates’ readiness for the job market, he argued that the real challenge is the lack of industries rather than a skills gap. He urged students to become innovators, not job seekers.
Prof. Nawangwe also recalled attending an international conference where over half the participants discussing artificial intelligence were Africans living abroad, underscoring the continent’s risk of being left behind in the digital revolution.
“We don’t want history to repeat itself. We want to move with the world and eventually lead the world, as we once did,” he said.
During the same event, SoonPay CEO Frantz Morency unveiled the company’s new platform, which integrates financial tools with blockchain technology. He described SoonPay as a “resource app” designed to provide transparency, secure digital transactions and support for emerging technologies.
“We call it a resource app not only from a financial standpoint, but also blockchain, which is why we’re here today with Makerere University,” Morency said.
He noted that the partnership with Makerere is central to SoonPay’s strategy of equipping young innovators with blockchain skills that can drive adoption across sectors.
Morency said the initiative aims to expand the use of blockchain-based solutions while empowering institutions and youth with tools for the future digital economy. “It’s one of these blockchains,” he said, adding that SoonPay wants students and developers to gain practical exposure to technologies reshaping global finance and digital systems.
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