Digital divide: call for building digital bridges in Africa

Global inequality also extends to digitalization. The “digital divide” refers to the unequal access to digital technology, despite digital technologies promising to be more inclusive than the analogous world. The digital divide is the gap between individuals, businesses, and geographic areas which have access to information and communication technologies (ICT) and those that don’t. Often, factors such as income and location considerably influence this gap.

What is the situation in Africa? It shouldn’t be surprising that the digital divide is particularly pronounced on the African continent, where only around 40% of the population has access to the internet. This compares to around 88% internet penetration in North America and Europe according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). In rural or less developed areas, this gap is even more noticeable, where as little as 20% of the population has access to ICT. This inequality of Africa toward the rest of the world forms a major barrier to socioeconomic development with severe implications on the African people.

Limited access to education and job opportunities, inhibited growth of small businesses, and impeded access to essential services such as healthcare are only some of the results of the digital divide. This inequality has become even more pronounced during the global pandemic, where those without internet access have been unable to profit from remote education, work, or health services.

But what is the cause of this situation, especially in times where internet-capable devices and bandwidth are supposedly so cheap in the perception of the Western world? The crux is that it’s not like that in Africa.

There are various factors that contribute to the African digital divide:

The telecommunications industry must play an active role in improving this situation. Since political stability cannot always be taken for granted as known in the developed world, bridging Africa’s digital divide is very unlikely to be achieved by the public sector alone. Key to success is cooperation between the different stakeholders, as overcoming the digital divide will be a win-win for all actors. Governments must provide the necessary regulatory and policy environment to enable companies to invest in infrastructure and offer services and required devices at affordable prices. Meanwhile, the private sector must leverage its expertise and resources to implement networks, connectivity, and devices in scale.

With improved internet and device affordability, subscriber numbers  are expected to increase. Consequently, operators can increase supply and reduce prices further by deploying newer and more cost-efficient technologies that eventually  improve living standards and leverage user demand further.

In addition to initiatives directly related to their core business model, telco companies can also contribute with broader initiatives. Offering educational content through their networks, providing digital literacy and training programs to help people learn how to use mobile technology, or even giving local small businesses tools to improve their digital footprint can all help to reduce the digital divide.

However, to avoid creating new problems by solving old ones, it’s of utmost importance to pay attention to inclusivity and to address the digital divide holistically. This includes targeting specific groups such as women, youth, and people with disabilities who are often disproportionately affected by the digital divide. Further, collaboration between public and private bodies can also help to ensure that digital infrastructure and services are designed and implemented in a way that meets the specific needs of local communities.