Mobile Entrepreneurship in Africa

Until recently, most online services could only be accessed using desktop or notebook computers. Today, more services are designed for mobile phone access, impacting developing countries where desktop computers remain a luxury but mobile phones are ubiquitous. Africa, in particular, has the highest growth rate of mobile phones, presenting opportunities not only to create locally relevant mobile services but also to reduce the digital divide. To help local IT entrepreneurs exploit this opportunity, the World Wide Web Foundation started the Mobile Entrepreneurs in Africa program. The goal is to teach potential entrepreneurs about existing technologies, the market for services, and business principles specific to the mobile sector. The program, which is in the early phases of implementation in Ghana, Kenya, and Senegal, targets small initiatives and is articulated around four major stages: demystification, capacity building, incubation, and access to capital.