The digital divide
In countries of the South, the digital divide is reflected, in particular, by a lack of telecommunications infrastructure, a high cost of access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the lack of adequate training and a shortage in designing local content.
Some figures illustrate the North–South gap:
- Africa with 12% of the world population has less than 1% of Internet users, while the United States, which comprise only 4.7% of the world population, accounts for 43% of Internet users.
- The average price for broadband access to the Internet is estimated at 16 USD for high-income countries and at 186 USD for low-income countries.
In spite of the access difficulties , the web represents a major vector of the Africa development. The web remains a source of unlimited opportunities. It gives worldwide exposure to companies that can improve their competitiveness. It also allows to offset the local shortcomings to knowledge and technical training.
ICT have a significant cost that ought to be honored. This is the price that African insurers must pay in order to survive in a globalized economy.