What hath teleGod wrought?
Thursday, June 10, 2010 at 12:04AM 
More FT on Africa as part of the World Cup focus.
The explosion of mobiles across Africa is described as the most important economic development of the last half century, revolutionizing lives and transforming society in ways all that official developmental aid never did.
No surprise, all that rising individual-level connectivity coincides with dramatic growth in GDP and sweeping new public attitudes toward business.
Ah, but what did Barnett’s “connectivity” ever do for poor people?!?
Plenty, it turns out.
But doesn’t it just piss them off when they realize they can’t be rich like the West?
Apparently, not as much as it jazzes them to exploit new opportunities.
And we’re talking an Africa that’s still only in the 40-50% mobile penetration rate. The continent as a whole is predicted to pass the 50% mark this year, with at least 8 nations bragging about a 100% penetration level!
Turns out the poor are not to poor for mobiles to be significantly empowering—and profitable—for everybody involved.
The FT piece:
Such success has revealed the continent’s entrepreneurial flair—when the dead hand of the state is lifted—and revived other sectors, particularly banking and consumer industries.
You know that bit about the Indian farmer choosing a mobile over an indoor toilet? Well, a lot of Africans will pick the mobile over that much additional food.
Why? Connectivity breeds opportunity. Along with the mobile penetration, we see foreign direct investment balloon for both oil & gas nations and non-O&G economies. Both groups attracted about a billion in 1989. Both now attract in the range of $4B annually now.
Reader Comments (1)
General Nguyen Ngoc Loan. His only mistake was being on the losing side.