by: Celine Camoin | April 26, 2024
Only 5% of Africans are connected to fixed broadband internet, according to data highlighted during the Connected Africa Summit 2024 underway in Nairobi, Kenya.
“Today, 300 million people in Africa live more than 50 kilometers from an active fiber optic connection, a physical gap that deprives them of access to the Internet and separates them from all the possibilities offered by the digital economy. Even just a 10% increase in our broadband connectivity can lead to 1.4% GDP growth on our continent. These statistics should serve as an urgent call to action and motivate us to radically improve Africa’s digital infrastructure and unlock the immense economic and innovation potential of our youth,” said Kenyan President William Ruto.
Kenya, the host country of the Connected Africa Summit, which will take place from 21 to 25 April 2024, has started the process of reviewing its building code with the aim of increasing fixed broadband connectivity to reach 12 million homes by 2030 A decision, according to President William Ruto, which should allow the country’s growth rate to be kept above 10%.
“Greater digital inclusion will intensify job creation and help us tackle the challenge of poverty. Beyond infrastructure, a thriving digital economy requires the presence of a large and highly skilled digital workforce to harness advances in digital technology and drive innovation and productivity,” Ruto added.
Leaders are calling for putting young Africans at the center of the continent’s digital transformation agenda.
With a population of 1.4 billion, Africa currently has 470 million Internet users, or an Internet penetration rate of 36%, according to official data, reported by the Africa24 channel.
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