Caroline Lucas, Director Special Projects at TEXEM UK, the United Kingdom based leadership development organization has told African leaders and CEOs to do more than just acquisition of digital technology if they desire sustainable development.
In her statement on TEXEM’s website, www.texem.co.uk, Lucas said if the leaders want real transformation they should not relax after acquisition of latest technology.
‘Transformation is not technology acquisition. It is the ability to convert digital investment into measurable value,’ the leadership development expert said.
Lucas observed that across Africa, organisations are investing heavily in digital technologies such as, artificial intelligence, cloud platforms, automation, data analytics, enterprise systems and digital communication tools.
She said too many institutions have digitalised their processes without fundamentally improving the experience or outcomes of the people they serve.
‘They may have more platforms, more applications and more data, yet still struggle with slow processes, weak productivity, declining trust, exclusion, poor service delivery and limited institutional responsiveness.
‘The real leadership question, therefore, is not ‘What technology have we acquired?’ but ‘What has improved because of our digital investment?’
‘For African leaders and CEOs, this distinction is critical. Digital transformation should be measured by the value it creates, not by the sophistication of the technology deployed,’ the TEXEM director said.
According to her, a successful digital initiative should make an organisation faster, more productive, more responsive, more inclusive, more transparent and more capable of delivering quality outcomes.
‘Technology is an enabler. Value is the destination. A digital platform that reduces the time required to deliver a service creates value. A data system that enables leaders to make better and faster decisions creates value.
‘An automated process that eliminates unnecessary bureaucracy creates value. A digital service that reaches people previously excluded creates value.
‘Similarly, technology that strengthens transparency and builds confidence among citizens, customers, employees and other stakeholders creates institutional value,’ Lucas explained.
She reiterated that digital transformation requires not only investment in technology, but transformation in leadership, organisational culture, processes, skills, data governance and decision making.
‘When organisations simply digitise inefficient processes, they can end up making inefficiency faster rather than eliminating it. African leaders must therefore move from a ‘technology first’ mindset to an ‘outcome first’ mindset.
‘Before approving a digital investment, leaders should ask: what specific problem are we trying to solve? What measurable outcome should improve?
‘How will productivity, speed or service quality change? Who will benefit, and who might be excluded?
How will the investment strengthen trust?
What capabilities must our people develop?
How will we know whether the investment has delivered value?
‘These questions shift digital transformation from an IT project to a strategic leadership responsibility,’ Lucas said.
The statement also announced that TEXEM will be hosting a programme from 22nd to 26th November, 2026 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom titled, ‘Digital Transformation for Valuable Outcomes’ where African leaders and CEOs will acquire more insights on how to maximize digital transformation for greater productivity and value creation.
Reputable TEXEM faculty expected to deliver the programme are, Professor Wim Vanhaverbeke, Professor Rodria J. Laline, and Professor Paul Griffith.
Professor Wim Vanhaverbeke is a global authority on Digital Transformation, a Professor (Emeritus) of Digital Strategy and Transformation at the University of Antwerp and Antwerp Management School recognised worldwide for advancing open innovation and ecosystem management.
On industry – focused research, his work explores how digital strategies and innovation ecosystems reshape sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and energy.
With respect to prestigious academic appointments, he has held visiting professorships at top institutions including the National University of Singapore, Zhejiang University (China), ESADE Business School (Spain), and Politecnico di Milano (Italy).
As an influential scholar, he has published in leading journals such as Organization Science, Research Policy, Technovation, and California Management Review.
He is also a renowned author and editor who has co-edited four books on Open Innovation and authored Managing Open Innovation in SMEs (Cambridge University Press); Editor-in-Chief of Technovation, the leading innovation management journal.
He advises global corporations and public organisations on ecosystem strategy, sustainability – driven innovation, and digital transformation; delivers executive and MBA programmes worldwide.
As a thought leader bridging academic and practice, he combines rigorous research with practical insight to help leaders harness collaboration and innovation for competitive advantage in the digital era.
Professor Rodria J. Laline, former CEO of Oracle Asia Pacific, has served as visiting Professor at Harvard, INSEAD and IMD,
invented the first chip used on ATM cards, and advises Presidents of nations, Central Bank Governors and CEOs globally.
Laline is a Professor of Governance and Strategic Management practice with board-level experience across Europe and Asia.
She has led global R and D collaborations and served on or chaired supervisory boards in multiple sectors.
Laline teaches Board Effectiveness, Digital Transformation, and Strategy for directors.
She is also an IMD alumna with a doctorate in Chemical Physics and a regular TEXEM faculty on governance and strategy who frequently delivers sessions on boardroom effectiveness and digital governance.
Professor Paul Griffith is a Professor of Practice, formerly at Ashridge Executive Education, Hult International Business School.
A Strategy, Innovation and Customer Centricity expert, he is widely cited as one of the first Management professors to lead a team that launched a rocket to space.
Griffith advises senior executives on strategic agility, digital transformation and opportunity creation in turbulence.
He is also a London Business School alumnus.
Interested participants in the Edinburgh programme are expected to click on the link: https://texem.co.uk/digital-transformation-for-valuable-outcomes/
The following testimonials from past delegates of TEXEM programmes were also shared in the statement.
‘I found that it’s quite a new approach of workshop than I’m used to because I’ve attended so many workshops organized by other organizations. But, I found that the approach made by TEXEM is quite different.’ ‘…first of all when I found that the first day of the program would be visits to the Shakespeare’s birthplace and also to visit a chocolate factory, I was skeptical. So, I said, I’m in love with Shakespeare but I just said what is it to do with business or whatever it is. But then, after the visit and then to the two places and coming back and then I could see the collaboration between what I’m supposed to know and I really could understand the issues there,’. – Previous TEXEM delegate. Ambassador Mustafa Sam Non-Executive Director Jaiz Bank.
‘TEXEM is a very serious consultancy organization. I’m rating them as such because of the caliber of resources that have been mobilized to interact with us to discuss all the issues that are needed in building our leadership capacity further, in ensuring that theTax Appeal Tribunal becomes the best adjudicator of taxes in Africa and even globally. So I am very, very impressed with them, and I recommend them to other institutions that are serious about ensuring effective leadership and management,’. -Previous TEXEM delegate Prof. Kabiru Isa Dandago Bayero, Hon Commissioner Tax Appeal Tribunal.
‘So many things have inspired me because I have a new look at what leadership is all about now, and then I think the operation and also aspects of that has to do with what I need to do and make decisions at the right time that involves what the future holds. It’s something that really has inspired me, so many ideas; of course I can’t thank the faculties enough you know in terms of what they have done,’. -Previous TEXEM delegate, Muhammad Bello Aliyu, Registrar/CEO, Computer Professional Council of Nigeria (CPN).