Connecting Africa Through Broadband A strategy for doubling connectivity by 2021 and reaching universal access by 2030 Running footer 1 Connecting Africa Through Broadband A strategy for doubling connectivity by 2021 and reaching universal access by 2030 Broadband Commission Working Group on Broadband for All: A “Digital Infrastructure Moonshot” for Africa October 2019 Table of Contents Foreword .............................................................................................................................................8 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ 12 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 14 Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................................22 1. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................24 2. Snapshot of Africa’s Digital Infrastructure ...........................................................................34 3. Mission, Vision, and Principles for Digital Transformation in Africa ...............................46 4. Investment Requirements for 2021 and 2030 Digital Infrastructure Targets ..............56 5. Policy and Regulatory Frameworks to Enable Digital Transformation ..........................68 6. Digital Skills and Local Content Development ...................................................................78 7. Targeted Approach for Device Affordability ........................................................................84 8. Roadmap and Action Plan to Achieve Universal, Affordable, and Good Quality Broadband Access Across Africa ...........................................................................................92 9. Financing Mechanisms for the Digital Infrastructure Moonshot for Africa ................108 10. Monitoring Progress towards Broadband for All ............................................................. 112 Appendixes ......................................................................................................................... ............116 Figures Figure 0.1. The World Bank’s Digital Economy for Africa (DE4A) Framework .................. 15 Figure 0.2. Investment Needed to Achieve Universal Access to Broadband Connectivity by 2030 ............................................................................................... 16 Figure 0.3. Relative Size of Investment Needed by Country for Universal Access by 2030 ............................................................................................................................. 17 Figure 0.4. MFD Indicative Distribution of Cost Sharing ....................................................... 18 Figure 0.5. Roadmap for Universal Access to Affordable and Good Quality Broadband ..................................................................................................................20 Figure 2.1. Broadband Penetration in African Countries by Technology, 2010-2018 ....35 Figure 2.2. Broadband Infrastructure Value Chains................................................................36 Figure 2.3. Proportion of Population with Access to Electricity, 2017 ...............................43 Figure 4.1. Mobile Penetration in Africa by Country, 2018 ...................................................60 Figure 4.2. 4G Mobile Broadband Penetration in Africa by Country, 2018 ........................ 61 Figure 4.3. Investment Needed to Double Broadband Penetration in Africa by 2021 ........................................................................................................................63 Figure 4.4. Relative Size of Investment Needed by Country to Double Broadband Connectivity by 2021 ................................................................................................64 Figure 4.5. Investment Needed to Achieve Universal Access to Broadband Connectivity ...............................................................................................................65 Figure 4.6. Relative Size of Investment Needed by Country for Universal Access by 2030 ........................................................................................................................66 Figure 4.7. Expected Broadband Penetration Growth (2018, 2021, 2030) .......................67 Figure 4.8. Investment Needed to Achieve Universal Access to Connectivity by Region ..........................................................................................................................67 Figure 7.1. Affordability of Entry-Level Device in Low- and Middle-Income Countries by Region .................................................................................................86 Figure 8.1. Roadmap for Universal Access to Affordable and Good Quality Broadband ..................................................................................................................94 Figure 8.2. Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications - Smart Community Architecture ...........................................................................100 Figure 9.1. MFD Indicative Distribution of Cost Sharing ......................................................111 Figure A.1. Estimating Requirements for the 2021 Target: Model Structure (Indicative) .................................................................................................................120 Figure A.2. Estimating Requirements for the 2030 Target: Model Structure (Indicative) ................................................................................................................. 121 Tables Table 1.1. Examples of Digital Infrastructure Initiatives and Programs ...........................30 Boxes Box 1.1. The African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa ......................26 Box 1.2. The World Bank’s Digital Economy for Africa (DE4A) Framework .................. 27 Box 1.3. European Union-African Union Digital Economy Task Force (EU-AU DETF) .29 Box 2.1. ITU Interactive Transmission Map .......................................................................... 37 Box 2.2. African Undersea and Terrestrial Fiber Optic Cables .........................................39 Box 2.3. GSMA Mobile Coverage Map .................................................................................. 41 Box 2.4. Sustainable Development Goal on Energy (SDG7) and the World Bank Group ...........................................................................................................................43 Box 3.1. Mobilizing Finance for Development (MFD) ........................................................48 Box 3.2. GSR19 Best Practice Guidelines to Fast-Forward Digital Connectivity for All ............................................................................................................................49 Box 3.3. Principles for Natural Disasters and Climate Change in the Telecom Sector .......................................................................................................... 51 Box 3.4. The World Bank ’s Core Principles for Digital Infrastructure ...........................53 Box 3.5. Five Principles for the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa ...................54 Box 3.6. Mission, Vision, and Values for ITU’s Strategic Plan 2020-2023 .....................55 Box 4.1. A Multistakeholder Process .....................................................................................58 Box 5.1. Digital Public Platforms ............................................................................................76 Box 5.2. The Impact of Taxation on Affordability ............................................................... 77 Box 6.1. Addressing Digital Skills and Local Content ........................................................80 Box 6.2. Closing the Digital Skills Gap for Nigerian Women and Girls .......................... 81 Box 6.3. Technology Bootcamp Empowers Young Tanzanian Women ........................82 Box 7.1. KaiOS: Affordable Smart-Feature Phones ............................................................88 Box 8.1. Facebook’s Shared Backhaul Projects ..................................................................96 Box 8.2. Reverse Subsidy Auctions as a Mechanism for Widening Rural Access ........98 Box 8.3. Huawei: Innovative Infrastructure Solution to Expand Access to Rural Areas ...........................................................................................................................102 Box 8.4. Microsoft’s Airband Initiative .................................................................................102 Box 8.5. Nokia’s Smart City Playbook .................................................................................103 Box 8.6. Innovative Business Models for Expanding Fiber-Optic Networks and Closing the Access Gaps .......................................................................................105 Box 8.7. Intelsat’s Partnership with UNHCR to Bring Internet Access to Refugees ....................................................................................................................106 Box B.1. ITU’s Smart Village Platform ..................................................................................123 Box B.2. The Digital