Kathy Gibson reports from AfricaCom in Cape Town – Despite the wealth of undersea cables that Africa has connected to over the last few years, satellite remains the best hope of connecting the millions of Africans who live in remote rural areas.
The cables have gone a long way towards connecting the continent, says Ibrahim Guimba-Saidou, senior vice-president of SES Commercial Africa, but in themselves are unable to bridge the digital divide.
He reminds AfricaCom delegates that, of the 4,4-billion people in the world not connected to the Internet, 3,4-billion are from undeveloped markets. And, in Africa, at least 400-million people are beyond the reach of terrestrial fibre networks.
“Despite everything that has been done over the last few years, we still only have 16% penetration in Africa,” he says. “This is extremely disappointing.”
By 2025, however, it is hoped that Africa will have achieved a 50% Internet penetration, which will drive an additional $75-million in e-commerce and more than $300-million in productivity gains.
These numbers don’t reflect the enormous social benefits that will also accrue from connectivity, Guimba-Saidou says.
The sheer size of the African land mass prohibits connectivity, he adds, although today there is at least a willingness for other countries to do business with Africa.
“The continent is full of potential and companies around the world are looking for ways to do business with us. But is has to be business in a cost-effective way.”
Satellite connectivity goes a long way towards meeting the continent’s connectivity challenges, Guimba-Saidou says. “We used to think of satellite as expensive, non-competitive, old technology that doesn’t adapt to new demands.”
Satellite technology has moved beyond these concerns, he adds, with 30 satellite operators now providing Africa with better coverage than ever before.
“This puts satellite where it belongs, enabling the continent to boom. Plus, the number of operators ensures supply and demand economics.”
Satellite communications contributes to an enhances welfare in African non-urban areas, Guimba-Saidou says. “It’s not just about connectivity: we focus on the fundamentals and contribute to enabling the eco-system to grow and strengthen itself to transform people’s lives.
“And it doesn’t take much to provide the most basic things, like e-health and e-education.
“It’s how we can ensure that citizens in one country are equal regardless of whether they live in rural or urban areas. These are services that every citizen should have access to.”
In fact, says Guimba-Saidou, ICT investment in the continent will boost economic and social development, with a 10% increase in broadband networks adding 1,4% to GDP in developing countries.
“Customers are alike, whether in the developed world or Africa, whether in a city or in a village,” he adds. “They all want the best service at the best price possible.
“But this is a race: it’s a race against poverty, against health issues, against so many things.”