Impact of the Internet in Africa

In this blog post we are shining a light on the digital divide in Africa.  

Africa is the continent with the lowest internet penetration rate at 39% of the population, compared to a global average of nearly 60%.  Also, there are large differences in internet access between rural and urban areas, with smartphone usage in urban areas exceed that of rural areas by almost 200 per cent in some countries. 

The digital divide has never been clearer. If we look at South Africa, we can see that rich schools (some 25% of the total) are largely continuing their classes and giving assignments via the internet, while the poorest 75% of schools have been unable to do so and are at risk of not completing the academic year.

At if we focus in on Sub- Saharan Africa where 15% of the world's population live and a region that carries almost a fourth of the global disease burden, but only 6% of them have broadband access. 

Teachers also require training to deliver distance and online education effectively, but such support is particularly scarce in low-income countries. Across sub-Saharan Africa, just 64% of primary and 50% of secondary teachers have received minimum training, and this frequently does not include ICT skills. 

While many Africans are aware that the internet is useful for conducting business, majority of the organisations continue to use the Internet primarily for simple research and communication purposes, as opposed to product delivery, sales, or recruitment. Potential explanations for this behaviour include lack of access to reliable Internet connections and unaffordable devices. 

What is causing this? 

The cause of Africa’s internet deficiency is, predictably, cost. Africa has the most expensive internet in the world. According to the Alliance for Affordable Internet, Africans pay on average 8,8% of their monthly income to purchase 1GB of data, compared to 3,6% in Latin America and 1,5% in Asia. In some cases, like Chad, the DRC and CAR, 1GB was found to cost as much as one-fifth of earnings. 

However, we are seeing an increased interest in evolving this. The development of LTE and 5G digital infrastructure is an integral part of Africa’s growing economy and has proved to be an essential driver of an inclusive information society that integrates digitisation in all critical aspects of life, such as education, transport, health, energy and even homeland security. 

All of this, of course, carries significant potential to contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa. 

The internet could revolutionise agriculture and food security in Africa by giving smallholder farmers access to markets and finance. In the health sector, much of the internet’s potential remains untapped, with limited use of smart devices or remote diagnostics to date.  

Fixing access, pricing and infrastructure in the telecoms industry is perhaps as close to a silver bullet as African governments will come. That is if the impact of the internet in areas such as health, education and democracy over the past 20 years is any indication of its potential for disruption and growth in the future. 

Looking ahead

It’s clear that Africa shows significant promise by way of economic, technological and infrastructural growth over the coming years. Yet, there are still many challenges we must overcome if we are to deliver real sustainable change for all.  

More than just a business opportunity, digitalisation is fundamental to achieving all 17 of the SDGs and a powerful way to make a positive impact on society. Read more about connectivities impact on the SDGs here.  

To truly leverage the full potential which this offers, it’s important we keep voicing this. 

This is how we make positive, sustainable impact in areas such as climate change, education, human rights and humanitarian response.