The Gambia Public Utility Regulatory Authority

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The Gambia Public Utility Regulatory Authority

• A presentation on the Impact of ICT
• Mr. Abdou Rahman Mboob
• Director General

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Presentation

• The ICT Revolution in Africa
• Pending Issues
• The ICT Policy Overview
• Information Impact on the Economy
• Three key stages
• Focus The Dissemination Stage

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The Impact of ICT in The Gambia

• Due to the growing demand from both the public,
  private and third sectors Policy Makers have
  realised that ICT services have not fully
  developed leading to the development of a new
  policy framework NICI (The National Information
  and Communications Infrastructure Policy)

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Pending Policy Issues

• ICT infrastructure
• Internet/Connectivity
• Telephony
• Human Resources
• ICT Development and Policy

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ICT Infrastructure

• Do we have the adequate applications and
  infrastructure for ICT and are they put to
  optimal use? If not why?

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Internet/Connectivity

• Do we have reliable and affordable
  internet/connectivity? And for what purpose are
  the available connectivity/internet facilities
  being used?

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Telephony

• Do we have reliable, secure and accessible
  network for affordable telecoms services in The
  Gambia?
• To what extent are telecoms services being used
  for information sharing?

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Human Resources

• What are the required HR training and
  developmental needs for ICT in the short and long
  term?

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The ICT Policy Overview

• The 80s - Voice and Messaging Radio, Telex,
  Telegraph and Telephone
• Mid 90s- Convergence bring broadcasting and
  Telephony to share transmission Infrastructure
• Late 90s - Convergence bringing
  telecommunications, broadcasting and information
  technology

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Information Impact on The Economy

• Has Information transformed Agricultural
  Production
• Information generation and usage in the social
  sectors health, education and culture
• To what extent has Information impacted on trade
  and Industry
• How best can we design processes that will make
  ICT the driving force to transform both the
  social and productive sectors in The Gambia

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Three key stages of ICT in The Gambia

• The Generation stage
• The Processing stage
• The Dissemination stage

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The Generation Stage

• The Policy and Legislative framework
• The need to have an adequate, reliable,
  appropriate and secure infrastructure nation
  wide (Networks Electricity,Cable
  Telephones)
• The need to re-orient the education curricula and
  introduce ICT education nation wide using IEC
  as a strategy

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The Processing Stage

• Use of Application Infrastructure (Network and
  service convergence) TV/radio broadcasting and
  telecoms, ADSL, ISDN and MMDS
• Use of Information Infrastructure Integrated
  billing and IN platforms for convergence of
  services- providing CRM

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The Dissemination Stage

• This Stage involves the Issues of
• Appropriate Content
• Volume and Means of Usage

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Focus The Dissemination Stage

• The Issue is the Application and not the
  Acquisition of technology
• The Question is to what extent does ICT content
  benefit us
• Localizing Content, by developing more culturally
  relevant content
• Strengthen local markets by moving from basic
  voice and SMS and utilizing ICT for exchanging
  local market information in-country (Convergence)

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Localizing Content

• Most websites on Africa are hosted outside of
  Africa
• Most information pertaining to Africa are
  supplied by companies/institution outside Africa
• Most Research on Africa are conducted by
  companies/institutions outside Africa

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Developing more culturally relevant content in
the Internet

• We need a geographical representative content
• Content that focuses on core African health
  issues
• Content that addresses gender equality and rights
  within an African context

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Strengthen local markets

• To what extent are mobile phone applications and
  services improving local commercial/market trade
• To what extent are government institutions,
  financial and commercial companies utilizing
  mobile phone applications

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Moving from basic voice and SMS

• Exploring mobile phones applications that can
  enhance commerce
• Ensuring that market-women and traders can use
  mobile phone applications for information sharing
  
• Encouraging government institutions, financial
  and commercial companies to effectively utilise
  mobile phone applications

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Thank you