The Road to Achieving Internet Access for All In Africa

Governments, the telecoms industry, investors, multilateral institutions, and development finance partners will need to invest over $100 billion over the next ten years in order to provide universal internet coverage across Africa by 2030, a new report by the Broadband for All Working Group reveals. Meanwhile, the African Development Bank estimates that the continent will need investment of between $130 billion and $170 billion every year to achieve widespread internet access. The pressing need for infrastructure development in Africa’s telecom industry is well understood. Fortunately, with the rapid recent development of telecom technology, masts can now be positioned virtually in any location. Several mobile companies are working on expanding network coverage in Africa, particularly in remote regions. Much of the recent investment in telecom infrastructure across the continent has come from China — in fact, direct investment from China has increased by 40% every year over the past ten years.

SOURCE: AFRICA.COM