Is access to smartphones essential to bridge the digital divide?

• by MSC
• Jan 28, 2022
• 1 min
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Leveraging potential of agents and merchants to improve customer onboarding and customer experience and increased usage of services

Usage of smartphones appears to increase household income and consumption. Both quality (relatively) cheap smartphones and 3G+ coverage are increasingly available throughout Africa. But the majority of households have very limited disposable income both to buy a smartphone, but in particular to purchase data. The prohibitive cost of data stops many using the internet/apps and those that do “sip” rather than “surf”. The result is a significant and persistent usage gap, even as the coverage gap reduces. Orality and lack of digital capability mean that icon- and IVR-driven interfaces will be essential to build self-initiated usage. But much of the shift to internet/app usage must be assisted and mentored by agents. Agents offer a range of real advantages but also a wide variety of risks/consumer protection concerns which will require attention.