Jane Munga on Why Policymakers and the Private Sector Should Mind Africa’s (Usage) Gap

Internet access is an essential part of modern life, necessary to communicate and access goods and services but also to exercise other fundamental rights from freedom of expression to political participation, health, and more. However, persistent divides in digital connectivity threaten the socio-economic development of many countries and regions. Africa is most adversely impacted: In 2021,  only 33 percent of the population was using the internet, according to the International Telecommunication Union. That means an estimated 871 million people lack access. In this episode of Afro-Catalyst, we speak to Jane Munga, a researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to understand why -- and how -- policymakers, mobile operators and other stakeholders must collaborate to address the gap.