Whats the state of ICT in Africa?
Levels of access to modern telecommunications, network capabilities and coverage, as well as investments in the sector, are as diverse as the 53 member states of the African Union. Mobile penetration in the continent stands at 42%, compared with less than 8% just 10 years ago. The continent posted the highest growth of new mobile subscriptions in the world over the last five years. Connections to the internet stand at 8% of Africa’s 1 billion people, and less than 3% have access to broadband. Egypt, Tunisia and Rwanda are among the countries praised for creating policies geared towards pushing their economies into the digital information age. Why the interest now? “It is a profit-making business. We don’t need charity for this. We don’t need help, we don’t need assistance … we are comfortable in the ICT sector,” said Hamadoun Toure, head of the UN’s International Telecommunications Union. Experts say there is enormous potential for growth, and firms have been racing to provide intern
