With over 3000 ethnic groups and more than 2000 languages, Africa is widely known for its rich culture and mineral resources. But African heritage isn’t just restricted to its aesthetics and abundant resources. The ingenuity of the African people is off the chart, and this is evident in the large number of African descendants making indelible marks across the globe. With little knowledge of African brilliance, let’s take a look at the top African inventors and their global impacts.
Although history has been unfair to Africa, thanks to the lack of proper documentation and heavy reliance on folklore, which has not only put the continent on the back burner but also failed to recognize the brilliance of its people, technological-wise. However, there has been a rise in record breakers and inventors in recent times, people whose inventions and research have changed the face of the continent and society at large.
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Top African Inventors and Their Global Impacts
Here are four of the top African inventors whose contributions have not only influenced the global industries, but also changed our everyday life:
1. Thomas Mensah – Fibre Optics Technology
Thomas Mensah is a Ghanaian chemical engineer with seven patents in fibre optics technology covering the US and worldwide. He was born in Kumasi, Ghana in 1950 where he studied chemical engineering before getting a PhD at Montpellier University in France. He was inducted into the US National Academy of Inventions in 2015. This African inventor has also contributed to the development of nanotechnology and has authored several articles.
Fibre optics technology refers to the technology that helps transmit information over long distances through thin glass fibres using light pulses. This technology has made telecommunication services, surgical procedures, internet systems, and other services a lot easier and faster to use.
Thomas Mensah has improved the process of its production and its use in data transfer on the internet, missile guidance, and highway traffic. This testifies to the global impact of this invention.
2. Philip Emeagwali – Computing
Philip Emeagwali’s impact on computing cannot be underestimated. Renowned for creating the fastest computer in the world using 65,000 processors to perform 3.1 billion calculations per second, the Nigerian “father of the internet” was born in 1954. He went to the United States on scholarship to further his education after surviving a civil war and other obstacles.
Emeagwali has won the Gordon Bell Prize, which is seen as the Nobel Prize for computing, amongst other awards. His invention is also known as the Connection Machine. The programme developed with his invention solved one of the greatest unsolved mathematical problems. This computer also has a global impact in the field of environmental science and technology.
It is used in weather forecasting, predicting the effects of global warming, causes of volcanic eruption, and how to recover petroleum safely and in large quantities. It has demonstrated how computers can communicate in parallel, leading to more development of the internet.
3. Olugbenga Agboola – Fintech (Flutterwave)
Fintech is a thriving sector in the world and Olugbenga Agboola has made a name in it as an African inventor. Known as GB in the tech industry, the co-founder of Flutterwave is a Nigerian software engineer and entrepreneur who was born in 1985.
Agboola holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management, alongside other certifications. He received the Tech Investor of The Year award in 2022 from the Business Insider Africa Awards and was also conferred with the national award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by President Muhammadu Buhari in the same year.
With Iyinoluwa Aboyeji and Adeleke Adekoya, he founded Flutterwave, a leading fintech startup that supports online payments. Launched in 2016, Flutterwave has received worldwide recognition. With the application, people and businesses can accept payments in over 150 currencies and receive payment in their preferred currency. The application has other features which have made cross-border financial transactions seamless.
4. Arthur Zang – Engineering Medicine
Arthur Zang was originally a computer engineer and a biomedical engineering researcher. Born in Cameroonian in 1987, he obtained his bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Yaounde. Zang’s invention of the Cardiopad has saved countless lives, especially in remote areas. In 2016m, he received an African Prize for Engineering Innovation from the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Cardiopad, which was invented in 2010 is a device that performs heart examinations on people using Bluetooth-connected electrodes. It then sends a digitalized result to specialists in national healthcare centres. This allows patients in remote areas to get these examinations without passing through the stress of travelling to urban centres. This device is widely used in Cameroon and other African countries. It is also distributed in other continents and is recognized worldwide as a notable invention.
Final Thoughts
There are contributions that cannot be swept under the carpet and Africans have made some of them. These contributions influence global industries, businesses, and individuals, cutting across various fields. They also inspire us to thrive and make a positive impact in society. These top African inventors have their stories and have made a mark in the world. Therefore, their feats should be documented so as not to replay history. There will be more sectors to explore and innovation will continue. The list will continue to grow in years to come as more inventions are made.