Africa and the digital divide

The digital divide is a phenomenon linked not only to the topic of access to the Internet, but also to the one of usage and usage benefit. In this paper we take a look at the global digital divide concerning Africa, we analyze the situation with the help of macro-data and by discussing specific examples (Ghana, South Africa). We also address suggestions that have been made for closing the global digital divide and point out that such solutions require more fundamental changes of society and cannot be achieved by technology alone. ! 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.