Africa's telecommunications sector stands at a defining moment, with potential for transformative growth if it achieves pan-African collaboration.
A ministerial forum at the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town this week heard that the continent had reached a significant milestone, surpassing 600-million internet users. However, internet penetration stands at a mere 43%, compared to a global average of 66%. This gap represents both a challenge and an immense opportunity for development across the continent.
The forum, hosted by the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), the South African department of communications & digital technologies (DCDT), and Huawei, saw the communication ministers of South Africa, Kenya and Uganda, as well as the secretary-general of the ATU, sign a joint communiqué committing to inclusive and sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
This would start with ICT technologies, including the development of national cloud infrastructures to meet the needs of intelligence and AI adoption; developing solar micro-grids to rapidly increase electricity coverage across Sub-Saharan Africa; expanding network connectivity in rural areas and developing smart education to bridge the urban-rural divide.
“We find ourselves at a defining moment in our digital journey, more so in this continent that I think really demands collective efforts in terms of policy initiatives, collective efforts in terms of practices and operational experiences,” said John Omo, secretary-general of the ATU, setting the tone for the event.
We find ourselves at a defining moment in our digital journey, more so in this continent that I think really demands collective efforts in terms of policy initiatives, collective efforts in terms of practices and operational experiences
— John Omo, secretary-general of the ATU,
Communications minister Solly Malatsi told the forum he believed digital technologies were not a goal in themselves, but an essential facilitator for social inclusion.
“Digital technologies allow for the delivery of real-time services that enable individuals to learn to work and live without being subject to any social barriers. But for many disadvantaged groups across the continent access to some of these technologies remains a significant challenge.
“The digitisation of our daily lives, either with work, with education or even social interaction, has opened up boundless opportunities. At the same time, it has introduced new barriers. These new barriers risk making the digital divide grow, with millions of people lacking access to the tools, the infrastructure and the necessary skills they need to thrive in a digitally connected world.”
The solution, he said, was a multifaceted approach to expanding access, enhancing skills and ensuring that technology adoption was sustainable and inclusive. Africa, he said, was uniquely positioned to lead the world in renewable energy production.
“The continent is blessed with abundance of solar and wind energy resources, which means that we are in a much stronger position to leverage this alternative energy for connectivity purposes. However, we can't ignore the reality that Africa still remains one of the least electrified regions in the world. More than half-a-billion people on the continent still lack access to reliable electricity.
“Projections are that, unless current electrification efforts are tripled, many of these individuals, the majority of whom are in rural areas, will remain without power by 2030. This underscores the importance of renewable energy as an instrument that can help fill the gap, and this is where innovation and collaboration come into play.”
Malatsi said that beyond access to infrastructure, the challenge was to ensure that citizens were equipped with the necessary skills to use digital technologies effectively.
“This makes digital literacy the right hand of digital inclusion. It is not enough simply to provide access to technology.”
He said interventions had to be put in place “to empower even the most vulnerable members of our society with the resources to acquire the digital skills that they need to navigate the digital world with confidence and that they can understand how to leverage these tools for their own personal and professional growth”.
Several critical factors had to be addressed to ensure digital inclusion became a reality.
“For South Africa and the continent to succeed in this digital transformation, we need both domestic and international investments into ICT. The potential for both in the digital economy is immense, and South Africa is well positioned to be a leader in this space. Our strategic location, our growing ICT sector, our commitment to renewable energy, make us an ideal partner for those investors who are looking to capitalise on Africa's virgin digital market.”
The company most closely associated with foreign investment in the ICT sector, Huawei, used the forum to launch a Global Digitalisation Index (GDI), developed in collaboration with the International Data Corporation. The GDI provides a measure of a country's ICT industry maturity based on a number of digital infrastructure indicators, including computing, storage, cloud, and green energy. GDI research found that a $1 investment in digital transformation yields a return of $8.3 in a country's digital economy.
Hover Gao, president of Huawei Sub-Saharan Africa, told the forum that Huawei was ready to work closely with all parties. It would offer its expertise to contribute to the development of an inclusive and sustainable “digital and intelligent Africa”.
