Mobile Technology: Effect on Africa's Development Post 2015

The millennium development goals, was in the year 2000 officially established to tackle global social, economic and health crisis. The year 2015 was agreed by the member states of the United Nations and other reputable international organisations as the target year to attain these goals. With various international and local organisations meeting to discuss the post 2015 developmental agenda, there is a need to infuse into these plans the role of mobile technology for a sustained developmental growth in Africa.

The rapid progress towards attaining the millennium development goals by African nations over the last couple of years has come as a much needed encouragement to member states of the United Nations. It has been observed that African nations allocating a higher percentage of government funds to health, education and agriculture are making headway towards achieving the millennium development goals. Poverty is declining slowly; with the rate of poverty falling from 56.5% to 47.5% in 2008. This is due in part to the strong economic growth of African economy over the past decade. It was observed that 30 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have accelerated progress in the last three years on reaching the MDGs and about sixteen other nations are on track to achieving their goals.

This growth in the economy of African Nations ‘coincidentally’ plays its way into the boom of mobile technology in Africa. Mobile technology has greatly improved the socio-economic development of African Countries. There has been a methodological rise in small and medium scale enterprises directly and/or indirectly involved in mobile technology. This has greatly improved income generation among Africans. Furthermore, the increased income generation and reduced poverty has increased the spending power of the local citizenry. Universal basic education which used to be seen as a luxury is now being seen as a necessity. More and more parents now see the need to enrol their wards into primary school to gain the necessary basic skills and knowledge for a better life. Healthcare is gradually becoming accessiblein some communities through the establishment of mhealth infrastructure. The growth of mobile technology has seen a lot of Africans having the feeling of ‘being among’ the trend of global development. Most parents and guardians now see education as means of attaining improved socio-economic status.

Mobile technology is directly and indirectly making huge strides in the socio-economic development of Africa.  Most recently, UNESCO and mobile phone giants Nokia partnered to use mobile technology to help teachers improve English language literacy skills among primary school students in Nigeria. The provision, enrolment and completion of basic primary education post 2015 is definitely key to the continued and sustained socio-economic growth of Africa.

Mobile  technology has a huge role play in the development of Africa come post 2015. It is anticipated that the post 2015 impact of mobile technology will make a huge contribution towards combating poverty in Africa. With the continued pace and anticipated growth of socio-economic development in Africa, mobile technology is a major front-runner in the race to developing Africa.