Africa’s grand internet access plans

Ministers, regulators and others are meeting for a big powwow in Nairobi this week to discuss how to connect up to 80% of the African continent to the ‘net.

It all sounds very promising:

The meeting, dubbed Connecting Rural Communities Africa Forum 2007 is organised by the CTO with telecoms market regulator Communications Commission of Kenya as the host. It will discuss research findings, policy options, regulatory strategies, business models, financing and investment, available technology and public-private-people-partnerships that can improve rural connectivity in Africa.

But, unfortunately, while hosting more talks is fine, urgent action is more necessary. Africa’s connectivity is dire: less than 4% of the populace has internet access, according to Internet World Stats. Problems range from telco monopolies blocking competition to major infrastructure and skills shortfalls, not to mention widespread power shortages.

That said, there are signs of life surrounding the various cable projects running down the east and west coasts of Africa.  And even the troubled EASSy project recently received a fillip. All this will help improve things. But talk of connecting 80% of the continent remains, for now, just talk.