Mauritius at the Digital Crossroads: From Sugar Fields to Silicon Dreams
Published in Le Mauricien: Download Original Article (PDF)
I’m honored to share that my opinion piece on Mauritius’s AI transformation journey was published in Le Mauricien on November 5, 2025. This article reflects on our nation’s economic evolution and the urgent need to position Mauritius as Africa’s technology leader in the AI era.
From Sugar Cane to Silicon
“As my grandfather would say, ‘Progress waits for no one.’”
My grandfather, Mohun Persad Kisnah, came from an old Indian Diaspora family rooted in sugar cane. During childhood trips to L’Amitié cane fields, he would tell us how Mauritius transformed into a world-leading sugar producer under Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam’s leadership.
Today, we face a new transformation wave—artificial intelligence. After designing high-performance computing systems and GPU clusters that power today’s digital world, I’ve observed a crucial pattern: countries that thrive in transformative epochs don’t merely join the race; they set the pace.
Learning from Our Past
In the early 2000s, while other nations cultivated innovation hubs, Mauritius chose the seemingly prudent path of Business Process Outsourcing. Armed with a bilingual workforce, stable governance, and an advantageous time zone, we built Africa’s back office. The strategy worked—ICT/BPO grew to represent 10% of GDP and employed over 40,000 young Mauritians.
Yet the uncomfortable truth remains: while we optimized call centers, Singapore established research laboratories. While we focused on cost reduction, Ireland catalyzed an innovation economy through R&D subsidies, creating over 200,000 high-paying jobs. We excelled at executing others’ ideas but failed to generate our own.
The numbers tell a sobering story:
- Only 0.37% of GDP invested in R&D—less than a quarter of the average for upper-middle-income countries
- Fewer than 10% of local firms engage in research
- Automation now threatens nearly 30% of traditional BPO jobs
But within this disruption lies opportunity. Those 40,000 professionals who understand service, data, and process management can pivot to building and managing digital systems. We must act swiftly.
Building Momentum
Encouraging signs are emerging. Last summer, I engaged with local technology leaders—from Mauritius Telecom to Oracle Mauritius. I toured cutting-edge data centers in Rose Belle and learned about mytGPT, an education initiative by Mauritius Telecom.
We possess natural advantages over many African nations:
AI Readiness
In the 2024 Oxford Insights AI Readiness Index, we ranked 69th globally—ahead of South Africa and tied with Rwanda as the only African nations scoring above 50%. We ranked 13th globally for Responsible AI Use.
Data Protection
Our Data Protection Act 2017 aligns with GDPR, making Mauritius one of Africa’s safest jurisdictions for international data operations.
Investment Climate
Our regulatory sandbox attracted global giants like Huawei, which invested USD 20 million in a local research lab.
Budget Commitment
The 2025-26 Budget demonstrates ambition: Rs 25 million for digital tools in ministries, a Start-Up Innovation Program, and generous technology investment incentives.
We’re small enough to pivot quickly, stable enough to inspire trust, and strategically positioned between Asia, Africa, and Europe.
The Vision: Africa’s Technology Leader
Our goal isn’t to mimic others but to leverage our unique strengths:
Smart Sovereignty
We cannot match Nigeria’s scale or South Africa’s existing tech ecosystem, but we can out-adapt them. Mauritius can become the trusted testing ground for digital solutions—an Innovation Freeport with world-class regulation, privacy protection, and a multilingual, multicultural population.
From Service to Creation
Transform the BPO industry into a product development and innovation ecosystem. Foster co-research partnerships with European universities and Indian Institutes of Technology. The new 2025 India-Mauritius Digital Partnership Agreement marks a promising step toward collaborative innovation.
High-Value Lighthouse Projects
Agriculture: Smart agriculture technologies can reduce water usage by 20% and increase cane yields by 15%. Data-driven decision-making could potentially double most crop yields.
Finance: AI-powered compliance services—helping banks verify customer identities (Know Your Customer) and detect money laundering activities—could be 40% faster than manual processing. This could position Mauritius as a regional service provider, offering these AI-powered financial compliance solutions across Africa.
Tourism: Advanced forecasting and personalized experiences could generate an additional Rs 25 billion minimum.
Health: Digital diagnostic services could serve the entire Indian Ocean region for tropical diseases.
Secure Modern Computing Infrastructure
In the digital economy, high-value tasks require computing power. Mauritius can develop cloud arrangements (such as with Oracle Cloud that has a strong relationship in the region and leads the market for AI Hyperscalers) that leverage global resources while keeping sensitive data within our borders.
With our commitment to 60% green energy by 2030, we should aspire to regional leadership in sustainable computing. Rodrigues could emerge as a premier location for satellite data centers.
Investment in People
The target of 10,000 certified AI professionals by 2030 is achievable. We should:
- Implement an AI Residency program to attract global and diaspora talent
- Partner with VIT Mauritius, University of Mauritius, and other institutions to ensure world-class digital programs
- Create a virtuous cycle where talent attracts investment, and investment attracts talent
The Urgency of Now
Africa’s digital economy is projected to grow 27% annually, expanding from USD 4.5 billion today to USD 16.5 billion by 2030. The top four markets—Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt—already capture over 80% of funding. Mauritius must secure its position immediately.
Two-year targets:
- Three major tech companies establishing regional headquarters
- 1,000 professionals working on cutting-edge AI projects
- Five lighthouse projects delivering measurable economic benefits
A Personal Reflection
Small nations have historically demonstrated the power of swift, decisive action. Mauritius has always been about anticipating change and resilience. From the sugar cane era through the EPZ period to financial services—every leap forward came from seizing tomorrow’s opportunities today.
This moment is no different. Mauritius stands at the digital crossroads. Our choices will determine whether we lead or follow in the AI revolution. This isn’t about being first; it’s about creating our own path.
We missed the R&D revolution when our entrepreneurs chose outsourcing over innovation. Having all the right components means nothing if we fail to build with them. We have the infrastructure, stability, and talent—all waiting to be activated. The only thing left is to act.
In the race for progress, victory belongs to those who move first.
As we say in Creole, “Nou pe retom dan karo-kann”—we cannot return to the old fields.
The future is ours to shape.
This article was originally published in Le Mauricien, Forum section, page 20, Wednesday November 5, 2025.