The World Bank has revealed that 3G coverage has been linked to poverty reduction in Nigeria and Senegal commenting on the impact of digital connectivity on employment and sustainable wealth generation especially in low-income and developing countries.
This is according to the World Bank “Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023” which it emphasized the need to increase internet access and bridge the digital divide across gender and between developing and developed countries.
According to the report, the availability of faster internet increased the pace of employment by 13.2% while total employment increased by 22% as a result of fast internet.
There was a fourfold increase in exports due to fast internet in countries.
It stated,
- “Across Africa, 3G coverage has been linked to a reduction in extreme poverty of 10% in Senegal and of 4.3% in Nigeria. Analytics and data-driven decision-making can boost the sales of small and medium enterprises and help them to establish a competitive advantage”
Furthermore, the report noted that digital technologies can reduce greenhouse gas (GhGs) emissions by 20% across sectors such as energy, materials and mobility.
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Nigeria is among the countries with the fastest IT employment
The report also stated that most countries of the world experienced robust growth in the IT sector with employment rising from 8 million at the turn of the century to 32 million in 2022.
Among the countries with the fastest employment growth were Nigeria, Vietnam, and China, and countries in Eastern and Central Europe among others.
It attributed the growth in IT employment to the bourgeoning local IT sector mainly propelled by increased VC funding since the pandemic in 2020.
Nigeria also stood out among the countries with the most time spent on business apps and with one of the most downloads globally with the global figure reaching 300 million as of May 2020.
Recommended reading: Internet coverage exposure slashes extreme poverty in Nigeria by 7% in 2023 – World Bank
