Niger: Telecom operators invited to reduce the digital divide

July 25th 2024

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The government wants telecom operators to do more to reduce the digital divide in Niger. A seminar was organized for this purpose on Tuesday, July 23 by the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication, Post and Digital Economy (MC/P/EN) and the National Agency for the Information Society (ANSI).

According to Colonel-Major Idrissa Chaibou, Director General of ARCEP, “  it is not just about extending network coverage, but also about making information and communication technologies (ICT) accessible and usable by all. This naturally includes improving infrastructure, reducing access costs and promoting digital education  .”

This initiative is part of the Nigerien government’s ambition to develop ICT in order to make digital technology one of the levers of the country’s socio-economic development. Niamey has already undertaken several reforms, including a ten-year ICT development policy (2023-2032). The executive is also seeking to assert the country’s digital sovereignty “  in the context of safeguarding the homeland  ”.

As a reminder, Niger had 17.2 million mobile subscribers as of December 31, 2023, for a penetration rate of 65%, according to official data. The country had 8.2 million Internet subscribers, or 32% of the population. In addition, only 38.2% of Niger’s territory is covered by telecom services for 78% of the population.

Source: Agency EcoFin

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