IT Infrastructure in Ghana

Several people have asked about the IT and Internet infrastructure in Ghana (mostly along with the "oh, you ARE doing email? question). So some thoughts on what I have observed for today's posting.

MOBILE PHONES:

First, like all non-US/non-major market countries that I have visited, the mobile phone is King (or Queen). Smartphones are here, but most people appear to use older Nokia pay-as-you-go phones. EVERYONE has a mobile phone - even the "ultra poor" traders in the markets (interesting data point relayed by Birgitte, that aid groups working in Bangladesh, home of the "ultra poor" terminology, point to Ghana as a place where even the "ultra poor" have savings).

Mobile payment is being aggressively launched - the local electric utility allows you to pay your electricity bill with your mobile phone using "Mobile Money" (not smart phone/Web access type payments). MTN (a local provider) is introducing a "MobileMoney" scheme to support money transfers of smaller amounts of money in support of transactions - this will be a big deal when it takes off in the markets. 

INTERNET ACCESS:

"Wireless" access is through 3G USB sticks - Wifi is largely non-existent in hotels and public places. The IBM Ghana office is still ethernet cable bound.

LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE/SOPHISTICATION:

For the constituents that WE are supporting, technology infrastructure is low-end xseries (think 386) and Microsoft Foxpro. I don't know what is happening in mid-sized businesses, and clearly large concerns such as Barclay's, Shell, etc, have simply extended their home infrastructure to Ghana. There is a strong computer science/computer engineering program at the University of Ghana. Next Friday we are going to Ashesi University, a small private university, to work with students there. So expect a post on post secondary education at that point.