**6. Conclusion**

This chapter has set out to answer the two related research questions on the uptake and use of technology in Africa during the pandemic. From the foregoing discussions, public institutions, including schools, universities, industries, hospitals, and clinics, became altered in some fundamental ways during the pandemic. The local and national authorities began to explore new ways and leverage related technologies to continue their daily operations in a seamless fashion. They used technology to provide education, public health, finance, and basic services. However, as the three case studies show, countries differ in their approach to technology deployments. In large part, this is due to existing challenges such as illiteracy, poverty, low mobile penetration, unreliable power supply, and public attitude toward disease, which invariably constrain the uptake of mobile technology. These resulted in differential outcomes across regions and countries.

In particular, the chapter analyzed the question on how countries have deployed technology to provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic and arrived at key findings. First, the paper finds that SSA countries have embraced technology to address challenges such as reducing costs and providing services in the areas of education, health, financial sector, and education. Second, existing gaps in access to technology exist across and within countries and in other dimensions, including gender, income classes, age, and education. Third, the paper finds that the technology has been two-edged swords, supporting the authorities in mitigating the impact and enhancing disinformation in some circles. Finally, the paper finds that role of trust in public institutions is key for addressing the pandemic or related challenges.

Going forward, the paper recommends public investments in financial literacy, digital platforms, and knowledge creation, which remain central to tackling future pandemics and crises. Therefore, interventions should aim to address infrastructural limitations, promote public–private partnerships, and tackle digital divide in all its dimensions, including from a gender and rural-urban perspective.

This study has some limitations. The research has been constrained by a small sample size of three studies, a short time frame, and the qualitative nature of the methodology. Future research could focus on examining longer time dimensions and increasing the regional coverage in the future to include broad categories such as east, north, south, and west Africa.

*New Topics in Emerging Markets*
