The African Development Bank (AfDB) announced that it has invested 2.92 billion USD to connect 66.5 million people to basic ICT services from 2015 to 2024.

Internet access is becoming an essential driver of development in Africa. Indeed, the AfDB has invested heavily in infrastructure in several countries in order to reduce the digital divide. 2.92 billion USD to be invested from 2015 to 2024. This progress is the result of a strategy of targeted investments in digital infrastructures, in particular in favor of the most remote areas of the African continent. According to the institution, “this connectivity has been made possible thanks to investments in backbone infrastructures, the establishment of appropriate regulatory frameworks, the development of digital skills and the support of innovative technology companies”.

In reality, the ADB has deployed large-scale projects such as the Central African Backbone, which connected several Central African countries to the global network via land and submarine cables. This project allowed the installation of thousands of kilometers of optical fiber, the construction of technical sites, an increase in the Internet penetration rate and a significant reduction in data costs.