Frugal Innovations and Techno-Entrepreneurship for Human Sustainability in High Value-Added and Labour-Intensive Sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa faces numerous challenges on its path towards sustainable development, including poverty, limited access to education and healthcare, inadequate infrastructure, and environmental degradation. Despite being rich in natural resources and having a favourable demographic profile with a young population, the region heavily relies on labour-intensive sectors like mining, agriculture, and construction, often exporting raw materials instead of value-added products. This book chapter explores the significance of frugal innovations and techno-entrepreneurship in addressing these challenges and fostering sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. The chapter provides definitions of frugal innovations, techno-entrepreneurship, human sustainability, labour-intensive, and high value-added sectors. It adopts the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to understand individuals’ acceptance and adoption of new technologies. The TAM emphasizes the factors of perceived usefulness and ease of use, which influence attitudes and intentions towards technology adoption. The chapter also delves into the hurdles, antecedents, mediators, and consequences of frugal innovations and techno-entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa. It concludes with recommendations for sub-Saharan African governments, including strengthening local capacities, promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange, facilitating access to finance and investment, supporting technology transfer and adoption, developing favourable policies and regulations, improving infrastructure and digital connectivity, fostering research and development, and promoting sustainable practices. Through implementing these recommendations, the region can harness the potential of frugal innovations and techno-entrepreneurship to drive sustainable development effectively.