Chapter 10: Frugal Innovations in Africa: The Dark Side

Modernization theorists in the development study context acknowledge the role of technology in pushing developmental frontiers. As a dynamic phenomenon, technology is crucial in social change and essential in addressing the African development agenda. Innovation is inevitable in the pursuit of development. The chapter intends to extend the current discourse on frugal technologies into unmapped territories which can be branded as the ‘dark side’ of frugal innovations. The chapter will discuss the demerits of frugal innovations, which have not been explored in extant literature which however remain pertinent to the concept discourse moving forward.