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Researchers at the World Bank and the African Development Bank said the growth is being driven by mobile phone technology, which has opened up access to banking, education and other key services.

According to the eTransform Africa report, ICTs are delivering homegrown solutions in Africa, enhancing entrepreneurship, agriculture, innovation and economic growth.

The report gives detailed data on the positive technological growth that has taken place in Africa and its impact on development.

World Bank director for sustainable development in Africa Jamal Saghir said foreign direct investment is booming on the continent and it is now an easier place to do business.

“The Internet and mobile phones are transforming the development landscape in Africa, injecting new dynamism into key sectors,” said Mr Saghir. “The challenge is to scale up these innovations and success stories for greater social and economic impact across the continent over the next decade.”

Enhanced broadband

The report which analysed data from Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Morroco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania and Tunisia between January 2010 and October 2012 shows that there is rapid development of mobile broadband with smartphones and affordable tablets across Africa that will bring greater social and economic impact over the next decade.

According to the report released last week, from fewer than 20 million fixed line phones across the continent in 2000, the figure has increased to over 650 million mobile subscriptions — more than the US or European Union, making Africa the second fastest growing region in the world.

Mr Saghir said in some regions more people have access to a mobile phone than to clean water or even electricity.

Some 68,000 km of submarine cable and over 615,000 km of national backbone networks have been laid, greatly increasing connectivity across Africa.
The Internet bandwidth available to Africa’s one billion citizens has grown 20-fold since 2008.