Africa seeks $86 billion for total internet coverage, 80% expected from private sector
April 29th 2024
The private sector is expected to provide 80% of the $86 billion Africa needs for total Internet coverage, according to the World Bank. This was revealed by Isabel Neto, Digital Development Practice Lead for Eastern and Southern Africa at the World Bank, on Wednesday April 24. She was speaking during a plenary session during the Connected Africa Summit 2024 which was held from April 21 to 25 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The rest of the funds will be mobilized by the States. According to Ms. Neto, “ this collaborative approach will ensure the mobilization of resources and expertise from various sectors, thereby accelerating the pace of digital connectivity on the continent .”
Concerned about access for all in Africa, the World Bank is collaborating with the African Union as part of the “Digital Economy For Africa” (DE4A) initiative. The said initiative aims in particular to equip all individuals, businesses and governments in Africa with the necessary means to act digitally by 2030. The World Bank has identified 22 indicators and six priority programs to monitor the progress of this initiative.
The World Bank targets 2030 for universal broadband access in Africa. In March 2023, the institution indicated that around two thirds of the continent, or 900 million people, were still not connected to the Internet.
“In West and Central Africa, in 2022, only 34% of the population had access to broadband connectivity. This figure is even lower in East and Southern Africa, while in North Africa just under half the population is online,” she added.
Source: Agency EcoFin
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