A Rapid Review of Innovation Ecosystems in Africa: Transformative Pathways for the ATIP Learning Partnership

This rapid review examines innovation ecosystems across Africa to inform strategic learning priorities for the African Technology and Innovation Partnership (ATIP) programme in its final year. As an initiative operating across Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Tanzania, ATIP aims to strengthen innovation ecosystems, stimulate inclusive economic growth, scale technology-enabled businesses, and promote collaborative learning. The integrated theoretical framework combining National Systems of Innovation theory with Transformative Change approaches reveals that effective ecosystem strengthening requires simultaneous attention to institutional coordination and paradigmatic transformation. This integration shows that successful interventions must address both structural arrangements and underlying mindsets, moving beyond technical fixes toward cultural shifts that enable genuine transformation.