Abstract
The article uses the Global Diffusion of the Internet (GDI) framework to examine Internet diffusion in Rwanda along six dimensions: pervasiveness, geographical dispersion, sectoral absorption, connectivity infrastructure, organisational infrastructure, and sophistication of use. Internet access was launched in 1996, but it was only in 2004 that significant Internet penetration occurred, when the privatisation of Rwandatel to Terracom brought in new investments and technology and the ISP market was opened to competition. Access to the Internet grew to approximately 24% of the population in 2012 or 2.7 million subscribers. Internet growth is hampered by factors which include poor resource mobilisation, unrealistic implementation plans, shortage of qualified human resources, a miniscule private sector, low level of private sector involvement and low Internet usage awareness. Despite these challenges, Rwanda has attained Level 4 (pervasive) for pervasiveness, Level 3 (broad) for connectivity infrastructure, Level 2 (controlled) for organisational infrastructure, Level 3 (highly dispersed) for geographic dispersion, Level 3 (common) for sectoral absorption and Level 3 (transforming) for sophistication of use. This limited progress is due partly to the policy focus on addressing Internet access (Vision 2020), and financial support from multilateral and bilateral agencies. Further policy and regulatory action and heightened awareness of the Internet are required to translate the statistics for GDI into greater access.
Highlights
In the early 1990s, when a transition was occurring in knowledge-based economies, Rwanda was engaged in a civil war that culminated in the 1994 genocide
The data was analysed according to the dimensions of the framework and the results presented using a Kiviat diagram, a graphical method of displaying multivariate data in the form of a two-dimensional chart of three or more quantitative variables represented on axes starting from the same point
The realisation of extensive e-government would be pivotal to future Internet diffusion. This Global Diffusion of the Internet (GDI) study has expanded the knowledge of the global diffusion of the Internet by presenting a perspective of a mainly rural country that is making progress in Internet growth due to government propulsion and policies, while experiencing many limitations and challenges
Summary
In the early 1990s, when a transition was occurring in knowledge-based economies, Rwanda was engaged in a civil war that culminated in the 1994 genocide. These events impoverished the population and destroyed the country’s fragile economic base. In 1996, the government of Rwanda (GoR) restored socio-political order and re-connected the country to the world through various means, including the Internet. Ngwenyama and Morawczynski (2009) assert that the level of ICT development impacts positively on the economic growth of a country. They view ICT as an enabling infrastructure to attract investors. Internet growth appears to be hindered by a number of factors, including poor resource mobilisation, unrealistic implementation plans, shortage of qualified and experienced human resources, a miniscule private sector, low levels of private sector involvement, weak regulation of telecoms firms and low Internet usage awareness
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