ABSOLUTE POVERTY AND THE DESIRE TO EMANCIPATE COMMUNITIES DRIVING MOBILE COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT (M4D) IN AFRICA

ABSTRACT

In its opening remarks, The Economist declares emphatically that “Paying for a taxi ride using your mobile phone is easier in Nairobi than it is in New York”. There is no denying that Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) and its subset, Mobile Communication for Development (M4D) have contributed to developments in many societies. This is particularly more dominant and prevalent in developing countries than in the developed nations. This paper reviews reasons why ICT4D/M4D is viewed as more suitable for developing nations than for developed countries despite their technological advancements and higher mobile technology penetration. The conclusion from this review suggests that, absolute poverty and the desire to emancipate communities in developing countries are the driving force for innovation in ICT4D/M4D.

Keywords:
Mobile communication for development (M4D) in Africa; Information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) in Africa; digital divide