The African Development Bank has connected 66.5 million people to basic ICT services over the past decade, implementing a focused infrastructure campaign prioritizing some of the continent's most remote regions.
The achievement comes as Africa faces a critical digital divide-- only 12 percent of rural areas have access to digital connectivity--that has hindered economic development and access to essential services.
Major Projects Drive Expansion
The Central African Backbone project exemplifies the Bank's approach. It links landlocked countries to global networks through terrestrial fiber connections to the SAT3 undersea cable system. As a result of the project, Cameroon, Chad, and the Central African Republic now have connectivity with international digital networks.
In the Central African Republic alone, the project installed 900 km of fiber optic cabling and built 11 technical sites, leading Internet penetration to soar from 2.2 percent to 30 percent, creating over 4,000 jobs and driving down the cost of internet data by 67% in CAR.
Similarly, the East Africa Broadband Network has established cross-border connectivity between five East African Community states--Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda--linking them to global gateways through submarine fiber systems.
Rural Areas See Biggest Gains
The Bank's strategy focused heavily on underserved rural areas, tapping public funding, public-private partnerships, and risk-sharing mechanisms to make private investment viable in previously unprofitable markets.
These efforts have enabled farmers to access real-time market prices and weather forecasts, students in remote areas to participate in digital education programs, and healthcare workers to provide telemedicine services to isolated communities.
Mobile Revolution Accelerates
Mobile broadband expansion has proved particularly transformative, and 89% of the continent is now covered. Industry data show mobile subscriptions are projected to jump from 489 million in 2022 to 692 million in 2030 according to GSMA, an industry body. This is expected to fuel growth in fintech and telehealth services, among others.
The Bank's $2.9 billion investment over the past decade concentrated on building backbone infrastructure, creating an enabling policy environment, developing digital skills, and supporting technology enterprises.
Connectivity gains position Africa to better participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which will require improved digital infrastructure to drive artificial intelligence, blockchain, and 'Internet of Things' applications across the continent and to create higher paying jobs.
