Internet Access in Africa

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The onset of high-speed internet access is turning the world into a global village. It is very easy and affordable to communicate with someone from another continent. It has become an important determinant of the way people interact and communication. Looking at things now, it is impossible to imagine how people communicated ten years ago.

Economies are witnessing an increase in job creation opportunities as a result of internet inter- connectivity. Companies have been set up against this backdrop. This advancement will continue to improve livelihoods while at the same time reducing the cost of living. The benefit of internet access is bound to increase with the development of new innovations. Africa is witnessing the fastest growth in internet connectivity, essentially because it has been considered a new frontier.

Kenya for example has witnessed an increase in the number of individuals accessing the internet because of the government’s initiative to lower the cost of inter-connectivity. This has reduced the turnaround time of any type of transaction be it financial or just normal day to day communication. The growth of some sectors in the economy has been directly linked to the growth of the number of people with internet access. Major cities like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu, where there is dense population enjoy very fast connections.

Rural areas don’t speak the same story because the cost of infrastructure to set up internet connection is very expensive. It will take some time for these populations to start enjoying the speeds that people in urban areas are experiencing. In the meantime, people living in rural areas will have to rely on mobile telephony services to keep in touch with the outside world. Although not very fast or reliable because of low signal, mobile phones offer an opportunity for rural folks to use simple tasks like accessing email.