The Nigerian minister of communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, the Executive Director of the SMART Africa Programme, Dr Hamadoun Touré, and several leading information communications technology (ICT) players, have said that there is an investment need for infrastructure in Africa of about over $300 billion over the next 10 years if the continent is to reach its full potential.
The head of Ericsson’s region sub-Saharan Africa, Fredrik Jejdling, said, “Industries and society are transforming as a result of ICT, and the establishment of smart cities that are equipped to manage some of the most important needs in evolving cities, such as safety, transportation, and utilities, requires active collaboration between various stakeholders.”
Touré said, “The investment will not be charity, its business. Today, the continent has the highest return on investment. Governments are putting the right regulatory environments in place with regard to spectrum, licences and national broadband plans and, therefore, with the public partnership model that we are advocating, there is money to be made.”
Shittu shared the success of two initiatives that were having a positive impact on connecting Nigerians and bringing financial inclusion and accountability: the Treasury Single Account (TSA) as well as preloaded money cards that are now available, for example, to farmers. He further projected that 95 per cent of all transactions between the government and citizens by the end of 2017 will be online, and round the clock.
The growth of cities raises a range of social, economic and environmental challenges, putting pressure on infrastructure, natural systems and social structures. However, as the challenges of urbanization intersect with ICT-driven opportunities, solutions emerge with the potential to improve the lives of billions.
