Currently, Africa is a dark spot in terms of
Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) connectivity. Across the African continent, there is a race to increase broadband and mobile telephony. These platforms are considered the panacea to reduce the
digital divide, which in turn can decrease the economic and social disparities between Africa and the rest of the world. Amid the scramble for ICT, it is important to understand some overarching issues:
- trends in connectivity;
- the challenges facing individual countries;
- how partners are collaborating to create opportunities;
- and the agendas of foreign, multilateral, and private investors.
Furthermore, it is important to ask whether broadband and mobile telephony are the answer to Africa’s economic and social problems, or whether newer technologies are more applicable given the rapid pace of technological change. Finally, we must consider the underlying concerns, related to whether investors will create a commercial demand for usage that does not align with socio-economic needs.
1. Introduction: Why is ICT important to Africa, and what are the current trends?
2. Nation States: Nigeria and Ghana :How do individual countries manage governance, regulation, access, cost, quality, and content challenges associated with the rise of ICT?
3. MultiStakeholder Consortium: What are the opportunities and challenges of EASSy, a cross-continent fiber optic line project, to increase broadband access?
4. Foreign Investors: What is China’s relationship with Africa and why has China chosen to invest?
5. Multi-lateral Collaboration: How are multi-lateral institutions like the World Bank and the United Nations accelerating the expansion of ICT?
How can they build partnerships to ensure that technologies are appropriate and applicable?
6. Private Investors: What does Intel stand to gain from its social investment in Africa? Is Wimax, an Intel-backed technology, the solution to affordable and reliable ICT?
7. Conclusion: Some parting thoughts and reflective principles on ICT in Africa
8. Appendix: Videos featuring aspects of ICT in Africa
