AFRICA: PAVING THE DIGITAL WAY

By Russell Southwood and Steve Song

Sub-Saharan African countries have had over a decade of pioneering regulation that opened up competition and got communications services to a large number of people. But competition has turned to consolidation and the new data-driven future poses difficult challenges. The period from 1994-2010 will probably be seen as the golden age of regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa. New regulatory bodies issued licences to eager investors willing to compete with each other to make money in this new industry. The sheer thirst for services from the new mobile network operators (MNOs) drove growth at a dizzying pace.  It bought new wealth to the operators, business  and government (through new taxes) and it  opened up a world of new social and economic opportunities for Africa’s citizens.