THE African Development Bank (AfDB) has commissioned a study on infrastructure and broadband aimed at finding ways to improve the regional ICT infrastructure, an official from the Southern African Telecommunications Association (Sata) has said.
BY TATIRA ZWINOIRA
Speaking to NewsDay at a reception in Harare on Monday, Sata executive secretary Jacob Munodawafa said the study would ascertain the potential gaps and projects that can be funded by the bank.
“The report will look at all the countries at a regional level and come up with a regional view in terms of what is existing and needs to be done in accelerating broadband development,” he said.
“It is looking at existing infrastructure, the missing gaps, and potential projects that can be funded by the bank.” Currently, Sata is holding its workshop on regional ICT Infrastructure in Zimbabwe. The association will today present preliminary findings of the study to Sadc representatives.
The AfDB study began last month and is expected to be completed by December this year.
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“In Zimbabwe, we have infrastructure in place, but all the players need to work together so we can reach remote areas and be able to connect and provide interlink services and leverage in terms of customers benefiting in terms of ICT,” Munodawafa said.
“There is so much we can do in terms of people accessing ICT the things that we are doing now can be done while you sit in your home, you do not need to go to the city to do your business.”
Broadband penetration in Africa is comparably low at 20%, compared to an average of 80% in developed countries due mainly to the lack of connectivity that encompasses internet access and connections to all kinds of gadgets and transformative applications and services.
Munodawafa said once completed, findings of the study will be tabled before Sadc ICT ministers to map a way a forward in as far as funding and strengthening of ICT infrastructure was concerned.