Africa’s growth performance has improved remarkably during the last decade. One of the key contributors to this impressive progress has been the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which is creating new business and investment opportunities for national and regional economic development.

Mobile technology innovations and the widespread liberalization of telecommunications markets have stimulated over US$56 billion in private sector investment in the continent between 1998 and 2008 and led to an unprecedented increase in access to telephone services.

Africa has become the fastest growing region in the global cellular market, going from less than 2 million mobile phones in use in 1998 to over 400 million today.