Prof. Jules Dégila, Ph.D.

Dr Jules DÉGILA

Jules Dégila, (Ph.D.) is a lecturer-researcher in computer science at the University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Benin, where he has been teaching since 2012. A recognised specialist in digital infrastructure and digital development, with more than fifteen years of experience in teaching and research, he stands out as one of the leading experts on Africa’s technology ecosystem.

His academic and professional journey has been shaped across three continents. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from École Polytechnique de Montréal (2004), followed by postdoctoral research in telecommunications focused on multimedia over Internet Protocol. He further refined his expertise through advanced training in leadership, project management and data analysis at McGill University in Montreal, the Indian Institute of Information Technology, and the World Bank.

At the Institute of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (IMSP) of UAC, Dr Dégila led the Master’s programme in Computer Science and served as Deputy Head of the IT Department, after previously heading the Department of Operations Research and Computer Science. He is one of the key contributors to the African Centre of Excellence in Mathematical Sciences, Informatics and Applications (ACE-SMIA / ACE IMPACT), which trains a new generation of talent to international standards.

His research, firmly aligned with the needs of the African continent, spans networks and systems, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and inclusive ICTs. His more than eighty publications in international scientific journals, together with around twenty supervised master’s and doctoral research projects, testify to this commitment. These works address highly practical challenges, including rural connectivity, the security of smart electrical grids, computer-aided medical diagnosis, and digital agriculture.

Yet Dr Dégila is not merely a man of the laboratory. Over nearly two decades in ICT, across Canada, the United States and Africa, he has held senior management and governance positions within leading international companies. He led the technology team of a multinational Canadian operator and represented the industry before regulatory authorities. He also supported the deployment of large-scale mobile infrastructure across the continent, securing major contracts with leading operators, and founded and developed companies in more than fifteen African and Latin American countries.

A trusted adviser to governments and corporations, he served as Technical Adviser for Digital Economy to the Presidency of the Republic of Benin from 2014 to 2015, where he coordinated the definition of national policies on digital transformation and infrastructure. He also contributed to major structuring initiatives such as AGriDI, a European Union-funded project designed to accelerate inclusive green growth through agro-industrial digital innovation in West Africa. As co-founder of an international non-governmental organisation, he has also led high-impact social initiatives, particularly in support of youth.

Since 2023, he has served as a delegate within the Delegation for Oversight and Ethics in Higher Education, attached to the Presidency of the Republic of Benin, placing his expertise at the service of quality assurance, professional ethics and academic excellence. A regularly invited speaker on the global stage, Jules Dégila remains a committed and tireless advocate for digital sovereignty and the technological transformation of the African continent.