The African Technology Gap

Even though delegates from every African country have met to discuss their widening technology gap, most of it remains talk.

Amazingly, most of the smaller children in Africa, and many adults, don't know what a computer is. Very few younger school age children have ever seen a telephone. This African technology gap is putting a strain on the country. Trying to catch up with the rest of the world will be a formidable task.

Africa continues to struggle as delegates can’t seem to find an appropriate solution to this huge problem. African leaders have warned that, because of the global technological economy, the African continent will be left far behind if it can't address fundamental questions about its future.

There are an estimated fourteen million telephone lines in Africa — far less than any big city in America or Europe.

Mobile telephone lines, knowledge about computers and internet access are reserved only for Africa's elite.

Getting the technology takes a willingness to invest in the necessary infrastructure and training — willingness lacking in most leaders.

Not having technology has more than just economic ramifications, though. Network technologies open up new methods of government control — most notably in democratic nations. Technology allows governments to make public transparency a reality.

Unfortunately, it's this transparency that frightens many African political leaders. Most see it as an enabling device for those wishing to overthrow harsh governments.

Technology means change to telecommunications, audiovisual, publishing, multimedia, information technology, and advertising. Whether it’s this change that African governments fear, or the change that will happen as a consequence is unknown. Whatever the fear is, every delay puts the continent at risk of being completely isolated.

Either way, Africa as a whole must decide what they want their future to look like. Technology isn't the only answer. But it's certainly a big piece of the answer.

 

Written by: Frank J Klein - CIO

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