A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development of the 21st Century

Using Information and Communication Technologies for Smart and Connected Cities3.4 MOBILE PHONES: BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN AFRICA 21In Africa, mobile phones are used to access market information and to transfer money for thosewho don’t have bank accounts.The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimates that there are 3.3 billion mobilephone subscribers worldwide. 22 According to industry estimates, there are now more than 500million mobile phone subscribers in Africa, up from 246 million in 2008. 23 In developingcountries, mobile phones have revolutionised the lives of millions of urban and rural poor byconnecting and involving them in viable economic activities. Mobile telephony is affordable,scalable, self-sustaining and empowering.Mobile phones provide a wide range of services at a reasonably low cost. Handsets cost betweenUS$40-50. Airtime is also affordable – this is why prepaid services are so popular in Africa. Ifone person in a village has a mobile phone, others can use it – a mobile phone is not necessarilyconfined just to one person.21 Summary of an article by Roxanna Samii, Manager, Web, Knowledge and Distribution Services, InternationalFund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)22 www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/world/world.html23 http://www.mobilemonday.net/reports/MobileAfrica_2011.pdf18