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National Information and Communication Infrastructure Strategies in AfricaA number of factors have been stimulating the development of national information and communication infrastructures (NICIs) in Africa. Among the chief driving forces are: increased recognition of the business and economic benefit of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by the governments, the dramatic increase in the Internet in the region and the launching of the African Information Society Initiative in 1996. Increasing awareness and pressure by well-informed user groups and champions plus intense efforts by development aid agencies have also fuelled the development of NICI strategies in Africa. Realisation that information remains the major precursor for alleviation of poverty in Africa has become the primary driving force for formulating a broad-based NICI policy. Government involvement and facilitation is essential to kick-start the equitable information society and to allow market forces to enhance sustainability. Many countries have begun to establish their own NICI plans based around their local development challenges. Experience shows that the key challenge in building a information society is securing institutional and political support at all levels. Governments can stall or unleash new vision for development of ICTs. Without the "buy in" of policy makers, the introduction of ICTs could become an expensive proposition. For many policy makers in Africa there is still a general concern that ICTs may compete for peoples' time, skills and attention, taking resources away from essential activities like food production, health services, basic education and so on. A good NICI strategy should convince policy makers, raise their awareness and demonstrate information technologies to the population. It should inspire citizens by showing positive implications of ICTs in their development and by sending alarms that being behind means social and economic retardation. Since the private sector remains the major drive to development in general and ICT growth in particular, the process should complement and enhance private sector initiatives.
Arriving at a long term NICI plan is not a trivial issue. It involves pro-active efforts in development of strategic goals and targets, outlining of policy and regulatory reform proposals, creation of strategies for development of human resources, for educating people, for reaching agreement of responsibilities between various actors and for implementing successful ICT applications in key sectors. Experience in Developing Countries shows that the main challenge is not in putting the strategy in place, but in building the necessary institutions and creating an enabling environment for the private sector. Formulation of policy and strategy alone will not make much difference in Africa. In terms of strategy and advice Africa scores high yet there has been limited translation of strategies into action. A NICI cannot be implemented in a vacuum but rather rests on existing social, economic and political structure. Approaching a national information infrastructure as a system composed of a social feedback involving planning, analysis, design, implementation and evaluation is very useful. The planning stage would involve defining the goals of a NICI based on current situation, and setting up of a group that works with the multitude of relevant stakeholders. The next stage should be an analysis of the needs and design of catalytic projects in areas which may trigger social and economic development. Planning, analysis and design should lead to active implementation of catalytic projects both by public and private sector efforts. Progressing from planning, analysis and design to implementation requires a number of actions which can be divided into 6 major areas:
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