Africas digital divide addressed at 12th African Internet Governance Forum; UNESCOs ROAM-X Framework and assessments offer policy recommendations and progress
Despite progress in recent years, only 36% of Africa's population had broadband Internet access in 2022. Furthermore, the substantial digital gender gap (35% versus 24% in 2020) and a significant divide in digital skills continues to hamper the continent’s progress towards achieving Internet Universality.
In this context, the 12th African Internet Governance Forum, held in Abuja, Nigeria on 20 September 2023, was organised under the theme, "Revitalising the Internet Universality ROAM-X Framework for Human-Centric Digital Transformation in Africa".
Dimitri Sanga, director of UNESCO office for West Africa, noted the interest by African countries in implementing the Internet Universality Indicators (IUI) ROAM-X assessment, citing that out of the 34 countries currently engaged in the process, 13 are in Africa.
The session united African researchers that have contributed to the ROAM-X assessments in Benin, Burkina Faso, Congo, The Gambia, Kenya, and Niger. The speakers highlighted the opportunity provided by the IUI Framework in centralising and analysing relevant Internet-related data that otherwise would be scattered, allowing to build a full picture of national digital landscapes. The researchers also underscored the value of the ROAM-X assessment in finding concrete multistakeholder policy recommendations that can strengthen digital governance in the region.
The ongoing assessments in Africa have already yielded recommendations that have assisted Member States, such as Niger and Senegal in initiating laws and strategies related to rights and universal access to the Internet.
ROAM-X indicators project at the African School on Internet Governance
Leading up to the African IGF, the 11th annual African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) was held on 17 September 2023 in Abuja. The African School on Internet Governance is an annual five-day residential course organised by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and Research ICT Africa. It gathers individuals from various sectors, backgrounds, and age groups in Africa, equipping them with the necessary expertise to engage in both local and global Internet governance mechanisms through an African-centred curriculum.
