[ACCI – CAVIE] In an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy, the production, management, and exploitation of knowledge have become decisive levers of power and competitiveness. For Africa, building an endogenous system of knowledge production is a matter of sovereignty, development, and strategic positioning on the global stage. It is therefore no coincidence that the 8ᵗʰ edition of the African Competitive Intelligence Days (JAIE 2025), organised by the African Centre for Competitive Intelligence (ACCI), has placed this theme at the heart of its reflections on the emergencies of African competitive intelligence.

Knowledge is no longer simply the prerogative of universities and research centres. In the age of big data, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy, it has become a strategic resource that shapes value creation, political decision-making, and the balance of power between nations. Competitive intelligence, as theorised by Dr Guy Gweth, President of the ACCI, fully embraces this reality by positioning knowledge as a central element of economic and strategic competition.

For Africa, controlling knowledge production means first of all developing research capacities tailored to local realities, promoting an endogenous reading of its own development issues, and reducing epistemic dependence on external models that are sometimes ill-suited to African contexts. This challenge concerns both scientific knowledge, economic and industrial expertise, as well as cultural and societal knowledge. The ability to produce, safeguard, disseminate, and strategically exploit this knowledge is vital to asserting an African voice in a globalised world.

Competitive intelligence offers a structuring framework to achieve this. By integrating strategic monitoring, research analysis, and innovation valorisation, it allows African public and private actors to better understand their environments, anticipate transformations, and position themselves proactively on emerging opportunities. Moreover, it facilitates the protection of sensitive knowledge against predation and misappropriation, which are frequent risks in global competition.

However, knowledge production also requires the development of collaborative ecosystems involving universities, businesses, public authorities, and civil society. Africa must foster synergies between research and business sectors, support applied research projects with high economic and social value, and encourage the circulation of knowledge across national and linguistic borders. Regional cooperation is also essential to pool resources, strengthen centres of excellence, and create shared knowledge platforms serving the continent’s strategic interests.

Finally, the challenge of disseminating and popularising knowledge must not be overlooked. For competitive intelligence to fully play its role in strengthening Africa’s strategic autonomy, knowledge must be accessible, understandable, and actionable by decision-makers at all levels. Training in information management, analysis, and strategic use is therefore a major issue that the ACCI addresses through its various programmes and partnerships.

In this context, the panel dedicated to “Competitive Intelligence and Knowledge Production in Africa” at JAIE2025 will aim to lay the foundations for a truly African strategy for knowledge sovereignty. It will highlight good practices, identify obstacles to overcome, and propose concrete solutions to make knowledge a foundational pillar of Africa’s global emergence.

The Editorial Team