Senegal: How this West African nation became Africa’s quiet high-tech titan

At an average of 10 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), Senegal’s ICT investments easily beats South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, and the world average.

All too often conversations on the digital scene in Africa look to the east – focusing on the gains being made in Rwanda and Kenya in particular.

When they do go west, Nigeria takes precedence because of the sheer size of the country’s economy and population, dwarfing the remarkable progress made by francophone Senegal, which is not fully acknowledged in both the dominant regional and international technology press that is written in English.

Currently in Senegal, 83 percent of the population has a mobile telephone with 40 percent of these being smartphones allowing users to access the Internet. This has seen tremendous growth in the country. In 2013, 20.90 percent of the population was using the Internet, compared to 1.9 percent in Ethiopia or 12.30 percent in Ghana.

At an average of 10 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), Senegal’s ICT investments easily beats South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, and the world average and as more of the population gets online, the government is seeking to meet the demand whilst actively growing the sector and fostering innovation within the country.

Read more: Mail & Guardian Africa