How Significant Are Recent Advances in Information and Telecommunications Technology to Social and Economic Change in Africa?
How Significant Are Recent Advances in Information and Telecommunications Technology to Social and Economic Change in Africa?
Candidate Number: BZWB0
Information technology (IT) has emerged as indispensable in contemporary society. It has become one of the most significant technological developments in the world, affecting almost all aspects of people’s lives- economically, politically, culturally, and socially (Castells, 1996). The increasing expansion of IT globally is allowing most people from different economic strata to avail of these technologies. The universal features of IT have also breached language and cultural barriers, allowing all people from different social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to interact with one another. In the case of Africa, IT has had a significant impact on the economic, political and social activities of the continent.
Africa’s infrastructure investments are considered the lowest in the world. Approximately 30% of their roads are paved and one quarter of their population has electricity, with an average of three landlines available per 100 individuals (World Bank, 2009). The use of mobile technology, however, has increased dramatically in Africa. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU, 2009), there are approximately ten times as many cellular phones in sub-Saharan Africa and 60% of the population has cell phone coverage in the region. Post-paid subscriptions rose to 49% from 2002 to 2007, compared with just 17% for Europe (ITU, 2008). Mobile phones have secured various possibilities for the region. For both the rich and poor and those in the urban and rural areas, these mobile phones have the ability to connect people, the market and services. Farmers can also message traders in the cities to retrieve the prices of vegetables and other produce (Aker and Mbiti, 2010). Labourers can simply call acquaintances in order
Candidate Number: BZWB0
Information technology (IT) has emerged as indispensable in contemporary society. It has become one of the most significant technological developments in the world, affecting almost all aspects of people’s lives- economically, politically, culturally, and socially (Castells, 1996). The increasing expansion of IT globally is allowing most people from different economic strata to avail of these technologies. The universal features of IT have also breached language and cultural barriers, allowing all people from different social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to interact with one another. In the case of Africa, IT has had a significant impact on the economic, political and social activities of the continent.
Africa’s infrastructure investments are considered the lowest in the world. Approximately 30% of their roads are paved and one quarter of their population has electricity, with an average of three landlines available per 100 individuals (World Bank, 2009). The use of mobile technology, however, has increased dramatically in Africa. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU, 2009), there are approximately ten times as many cellular phones in sub-Saharan Africa and 60% of the population has cell phone coverage in the region. Post-paid subscriptions rose to 49% from 2002 to 2007, compared with just 17% for Europe (ITU, 2008). Mobile phones have secured various possibilities for the region. For both the rich and poor and those in the urban and rural areas, these mobile phones have the ability to connect people, the market and services. Farmers can also message traders in the cities to retrieve the prices of vegetables and other produce (Aker and Mbiti, 2010). Labourers can simply call acquaintances in order
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