Driven by significant growth in smartphone adoption, Africa is poised to become the skills pool for the world, and because of innovative solutions derived from the Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics, the continent has become an attractive target for international investment.

This is according to Arthur Goldstuck, head of South African research consultancy World Wide Worx, who recently spoke at an Epicor customer event held in Johannesburg.

"The digital divide between Africa and more developed economies used to be a significant obstacle that needed to be overcome for the continent to be competitive on the international stage. This is no longer the case with many examples of how African countries are using mobile payment solutions and other services being mirrored in the global marketplace," said Goldstuck.

According to the second annual Disrupt Africa Tech Startups Funding Report, released in January 2017, the number of tech start-ups that secured funding in Africa increased by 16.8% in 2016 compared to the previous year.

Sabby Gill, executive vice president, international at Epicor Software, "These are exciting times for our customers in Africa that are leading the charge in embracing innovative new ways of doing business while still fundamentally focusing on people-centric manufacturing processes. In many respects, the continent is showing the world what can be done when combining world-class technology with people who have embraced the digital environment and empowering themselves with the skills needed for this connected age."

Goldstuck agrees and says Africa will be the last human stronghold in manufacturing if the right systems are put in place, "Africa has a high-tech future but it must be built around its people. To date, this has been one of the continent's strengths. Putting people first with technology being adapted to what works in the various markets across the continent."

Gill feels that this reflects the exciting opportunities that Africa provides global companies like Epicor. "Africa is not one market but 54 unique ones each with different business challenges to overcome. Epicor ERP assists organisations to focus on growth. With the internet user base expected to keep growing on the continent, Epicor ERP is perfectly positioned to enable these businesses to use the cloud and make their companies more competitive, both regionally and globally."