Ep 16: Nii Narku Quaynor: Why Africa Needs Internet Builders, Not Just Users

Andrew Henderson sits down with Professor Nii Narku Quaynor, an internet pioneer and professor of computer science at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, to explore why bringing Africa online is not the same as building its digital economy. Drawing on his experience establishing Ghana's early internet connections, Quaynor traces the journey from intermittent international dial-up to a connected continent—and asks who is developing, owning, and sustaining the technology beneath that growth.

For Quaynor, the central challenge is no longer simply access. It is the limited role of domestic companies in supplying the infrastructure and services that people increasingly depend on. He argues that governments' focus on attracting foreign investment and raising revenue through spectrum auctions can favor large operators over local competitors. Mobile money illustrates the tension: widespread adoption can expand access to financial services while reinforcing the dominance of the networks that already control distribution. Kenya's collaborative internet community offers a contrasting lesson in how bottom-up coordination can support development.

The conversation also examines what meaningful digital sovereignty would require beyond regulation: stronger universities, technical careers at home, and opportunities for people trained abroad to return and build. Quaynor considers how local languages and specialized services might give African developers room to compete with global platforms. Through the continuing negotiations over Ghana's .gh domain, he explains why institutional continuity and technical competence matter more than simply transferring control. Looking ahead to AI, blockchain, and data exchange, his priority remains the people capable of building and maintaining what comes next.

In this episode, Andrew and Nii discuss:

Bringing Ghana online through intermittent international dial-up

Why internet adoption does not automatically create domestic technology industries

Spectrum auctions, telecom concentration, and barriers to entry

Mobile money's success—and its dependence on dominant networks

Kenya's bottom-up approach to internet coordination

Foreign investment and the challenges facing local technology companies

Why digital sovereignty begins with universities and technical training

Brain drain, return migration, and meaningful opportunities at home