E-Business
Google, Facebook Build “Digital Prisons” in Nigeria, Others with Internet Freebies
Google and Facebook are at the forefront of a scramble to win over new African Internet users, offering freebies they say give a leg-up to the poor but which critics argue is a plan to lock in customers on a continent of 1 billion people, according to Reuters.
Africa’s Internet penetration will reach 50 percent by 2025 and there are expected to be 360 million smartphones on the continent by then, roughly double the number in the United States currently, Mckinsey Consultants data shows.
Reuters said that Africa had 16 percent Internet penetration and 67 million smartphones in 2013.
This growth is attracting interest from Internet companies such as Google, Facebook and Wikipedia, which are striking deals with service providers such as Vodacom, MTN, Bharti Airtel and Safaricom to offer users free, or ‘zero-rated’ access to their sites and services.
Facebook, through its Internet.org program, offers a stripped-down version of its social network and some other sites for free in what it says is an exercise to “connect the two thirds of the world that doesn’t have Internet access”.
According to Reuters, Google, in partnership with Kenyan mobile phone firm Safaricom, is rolling out its “free zone” in Kenya, where email and the Internet are available with no data charges, providing users stay within Google apps.
Google has said its “free zone” is aimed at a billion people without the Internet in the developing world.
France’s Orange is offering free access to a pared-down version of Wikipedia in some African countries, while South Africa’s Cell-C gives its customers free use of WhatsApp, a messaging service owned by Facebook.
“DIGITAL PRISON”
Critics, however, say big service providers and Internet companies are luring African users into using their services, giving them opportunities for greater advertising revenue.
“It’s like a drug pusher giving you a small amount and saying: ‘If you want more, you have to come and buy it’,” Africa Internet access specialist Mike Jensen said.
Giving Africans free access to some Internet sites may also stunt innovation and limit the opportunities for African entrepreneurs, making online technology another industry on the continent dominated by big foreign companies.
In Nigeria, 9 percent of Facebook users say they don’t use the Internet, mobile service survey site Geopoll says.
“You are giving people the idea that they are connected to this free open world of the Internet but actually they are being locked up in a corporate digital prison,” Niels ten Oever, head of digital at rights group Article 19, told Reuters.
“Where will the African Mark Zuckerberg come from when they have no chance to compete?”
REGULATION
There are also concerns that regulators in Africa lack the capacity to track how telecoms companies allocate bandwidth. Telecoms firms sometimes limit Internet speeds for some content, known as “throttling”.
Telecoms operators say self-regulating bandwidth usage is important to ensure heavy data users, such as people who download movies, don’t clog up bandwidth for lower Internet users.
The United States passed rules in February to ensure greater “net neutrality”, intended to make sure all content managed by service providers in the U.S. is treated equally on the Internet, despite opposition from telecoms companies.
But African countries don’t have tough rules on “net neutrality”, meaning some services could be given faster access than others, which some activists say could give bigger companies an advantage over new market entrants.
The 24 sub-Saharan African countries tracked by Internet monitoring site WebIndex have “evidence of discrimination” in the allocation of bandwidth and have “no effective law and regulations” on Internet freedom.
“There is little transparency into the Internet operators’ deals so it is hard to see where conflict of interests might be,” Jensen said. “You’re left just having to trust them.”
Despite concerns about limited regulation and an uneven playing field, many experts argue that any improvement in Internet access in Africa should be welcomed, given it could improve education, grow businesses and alleviate poverty.
High speed broadband costs up to 100 percent of average per capita income in Africa, compared to less than 1 percent in developed countries, according to WebIndex.
“Would you tell someone who is hungry: ‘Don’t eat that greasy burger, it’s bad for you. Wait for something healthy?'” said Stephen Song, an Internet researcher for the Network Startup Resource Center.
“I’m not a fan of ‘zero-rated’ services but there is an argument to say: ‘something is better than nothing’.”
Africa stands at vital crossroads, balancing intricate geopolitical challenges while taking advantage of promising economic opportunities. With the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announcing 73 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects in Africa worth more than $53 billion in the last year alone, according to the World Economic Forum, and significant growth in technology, renewable energy, and healthcare sectors, across the continent, Africa is poised for remarkable progress.
In light of these developments, Allison, a globally renowned communications consultancy, and BHM, Africa’s leading public relations firm, are joining forces to co-host an exclusive breakfast event on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79) in New York City.
The “Africa Breakfast Convos,” set for Friday 27 September 2024, at the World Trade Center, will convene business and public sector leaders from various African nations, representing key sectors such as telecommunications, finance, entertainment, government, technology, and trade.
With 70% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population under 30 and projections indicating that one-fifth of the global population will be African by 2030, the continent’s youthful demographics are drawing significant international attention.
This exclusive gathering aims to showcase Africa’s immense potential for economic growth and development while emphasising the continent’s role in achieving sustainable development goals.
The event will feature panel discussions, keynote speeches, and networking sessions exploring various aspects of the African narrative: big business, technology, pop culture, creative economy, soft power, and geopolitics. It will serve as a platform to highlight expertise and innovation on the continent.
Claudine Moore, Managing Director, Africa, at Allison, stated, “The ‘Africa Breakfast Convos’ represents a unique opportunity to bring together influential voices and decision-makers from across Africa and beyond.
“We’re excited to again facilitate meaningful dialogue during the United Nations General Assembly when Africa is a focus and we are collectively working towards collaboration driving sustainable growth and social impact across the continent.”
Femi Falodun, Executive Director, BHM, added, “This event underscores Africa’s position as a land of opportunity for investment and collaboration.
“By showcasing the continent’s dynamism and potential, we aim to foster partnerships that will contribute to shared prosperity and sustainable development.”
The “Africa Breakfast Convos” aligns with UNGA79’s theme while focusing on Africa’s potential as a driver of global progress.
“It emphasises the role of business in driving sustainable development, the importance of public-private partnerships, and the opportunities for collaboration with Africans in the diaspora.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and chief executive officer, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has stated that it is now the right of citizens for their privacy to be protected.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner. NDPC
Olatunji said this when he received a group of international data protection experts from Somalia who were on a study tour to explore Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem and its unique models.
Nigeria and Somalia are meant to exchange ideas on the protection of data, with the East African nation eager to learn what their West African counterparts are doing to keep the privacy of their citizens safe.
“It is a digital age and the protection of the privacy of all citizens of the world is paramount,” he said during the meeting held in Abuja.
“It’s now the right of all citizens for their privacy to be protected. That’s why all countries across the globe are putting in place those measures to ensure that they have their enforceable data protection rights and also put in place data protection authority to ensure that they enforce the law of data security.
‘In Nigeria, we recognise the need to protect the privacy of our citizens as it is enshrined in the 1999 constitution.”
Speaking earlier, Jamal Mohammed, Somalia’s ambassador to Nigeria, advised the delegate from his country to go home with the message that Nigeria has everything the war-torn country needs to develop. He pleaded with the NDPC DG to help his country in the area of data privacy and security.
“I’ve been here for three years now. Everything Somalia needs is in Nigeria in terms of knowledge and in terms of experience. I’d like you to take this message to Somalia,” he said.
“Don’t go to any other places. So, you’ll get anything you need in Somalia. However, in my stay here, I faced two challenges.
“The number one challenge was to convince Nigerians about Somalia. They have a phobia about Somalia. The same thing with Somalians.
“I’ve tried to convince Somalians to come to Nigeria but now they’ve got an opportunity.”
In a bid to unlock new growth and profitability opportunities for businesses of all sizes, TD Africa has pulled wraps off its fully automated Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) platform.
Through this innovative automated portal, Microsoft’s indirect resellers can now resell Microsoft licenses in 47 African countries and enjoy security, profitability, increased productivity, collaboration, and flexibility, courtesy, TD Africa.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that the automated CSP solution which streamlines the licensing process from customer onboarding to license provisioning, eliminates manual tasks and reduces turnaround times, thus, allowing businesses focus on delivering exceptional customer value while maximising their revenue potentials.
Read Also: TD Africa partners ZTE for quality and affordable smartphones
With competitive pricing and a comprehensive suite of Microsoft cloud products, businesses of all sizes now have access to a compelling solution to expand their reach and drive digital transformation.
The advantages of the platform which include: seamless license provisioning, competitive pricing, expanded reach, enhanced efficiency, and comprehensive product suite, make it an ideal choice for businesses seeking to capitalise on the growing demand for Microsoft cloud solutions on the continent.
Tobe Mbaneafo, Head of the Microsoft Business Unit at TD Africa, said that TD Africa is elated to introduce the A to Z automated CSP platform.
His words: “We are excited to introduce our Automated CSP platform as a game-changer for businesses looking to expand their operations across Africa.
“By providing a seamless and efficient solution for selling Microsoft licenses, we are empowering our partners to capture new opportunities and deliver exceptional value to their customers.
“This platform is a testament to our commitment to driving digital transformation and supporting the growth of businesses across the continent.”
Read Also: MTN Nigeria, Microsoft Partner on Cloud Data Hosting Solutions
To make the process stress-free, TD Africa has developed a user-friendly platform (csp.tdafrica.com) to among other things, enable businesses register and verify their account effortlessly, access a personalised dashboard for managing customer records, add tenants, select products, make payments, explore a comprehensive product catalogue with competitive pricing, make secure payments directly on the platform, and benefit from automated license provisioning after successful payment.
The tech distribution giant’s automated CSP platform is the future of cross-border business, offering unparalleled efficiency, scalability, and profitability.
Existing Microsoft partners can leverage this groundbreaking platform by registering at https://csp.tdafrica.com/auth/signup.
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