The World Bank has launched a new $2.48 billion program that aims to increase internet access and inclusive use of digital services to more than 180 million people across eastern and southern Africa.
The Inclusive Digitalization in Eastern and Southern Africa, or IDEA, Program, launched last week, will focus on tackling common digital challenges including poor internet coverage due to infrastructure gaps, low usage due to the high cost of data and devices, limited digital skills, and lack of digital identification needed for online transactions.
“The IDEA program shows the World Bank’s commitment to digitization,” Tim Kelly, the bank’s lead ICT policy specialist, told Devex.
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About the author
Sophie Edwards
Sophie Edwards is a Devex Contributing Reporter covering global education, water and sanitation, and innovative financing, along with other topics. She has previously worked for NGOs, and the World Bank, and spent a number of years as a journalist for a regional newspaper in the U.K. She has a master's degree from the Institute of Development Studies and a bachelor's from Cambridge University.
