Determinants of Digital Divide in Africa and Policy Implications

Abstract

This article investigates the reasons most African households are not using the internet and discusses the policy implications for bridging the digital divide. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) reports that at the end of 2014, only 7 percent of households in LDCs, most of whom are in Africa, had Internet access. This study analyses data from the ITU database and other sources to identify the determinants of the digital divide in Africa. Results show that peculiar challenges such as affordability and digital literacy do influence the percentage of African households who do not use the internet.