How Digital Technologies Can Transform Logistics, Transport and Supply Chain Productivity and Enhance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa

Abstract

Logistics and transportation systems constitute critical enablers of economic transformation, trade competitiveness, and regional integration. Across Africa, however, persistent inefficiencies in transport infrastructure, supply chain coordination, customs administration, and logistics management continue to increase trade costs and limit productivity growth. These structural constraints undermine industrial expansion, reduce global competitiveness, and impede progress toward sustainable development objectives. Recent advancements in digital technologies present new opportunities to address these challenges by enabling intelligent coordination, real-time visibility, predictive planning, and automated decision-making across logistics ecosystems. Despite growing global attention to digital transformation, there remains limited conceptual integration examining how digital technologies can simultaneously enhance logistics productivity and contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within African contexts.
This paper develops a comprehensive conceptual analysis of the transformative role of digital technologies in logistics, transportation, and supply chain systems across Africa. Drawing upon productivity theory, digital transformation theory, innovation diffusion theory, and supply chain integration perspectives, the study proposes a novel Digital Logistics–Sustainable Development Nexus framework explaining how technology adoption can generate economic, environmental, and social development outcomes. The analysis explores applications of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, blockchain, big data analytics, intelligent transport systems, and digital freight platforms, highlighting their potential to reduce transaction costs, improve infrastructure utilization, enhance trade facilitation, and strengthen supply chain resilience.
The paper argues that digital transformation of logistics systems can serve as a strategic pathway for accelerating industrialization, promoting regional trade integration, and advancing multiple SDGs, particularly those related to economic growth, infrastructure development, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, and climate action. However, achieving these benefits requires addressing structural barriers, including infrastructure deficits, regulatory fragmentation, skills shortages, and investment constraints. The study provides policy and strategic recommendations emphasizing digital infrastructure investment, institutional coordination, capacity development, and public–private collaboration. By integrating logistics productivity with sustainable development discourse, the paper contributes to emerging scholarship on digital transformation and economic development while offering actionable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders across Africa.