The involvement of governments across Africa will be a critical factor in the rise of information and communications technology (ICT) in 2017.

Next year will be the year that solid ICT plans to guide investors and other stakeholders need to be developed, with the “pressure on” for governments to have clear visions and understandings of the benefits of ICT for the respective citizens, countries and economies of the continent.

“Government needs a realistic roadmap on how ICT infrastructure needs to be deployed. And there is also a clear need for government to collaborate with the experts on the industry,” explained Frost & Sullivan senior industry analyst for Africa ICT Naila Govan-Vassen.

Her comments emerge as Africa’s communication services market approaches maturity in the urban regions of the more “advanced” telecommunications markets, including South Africa and Mauritius.

However, government involvement will be critical to the success or failure of ICT infrastructure deployment, particularly in efforts to extend connectivity reach into less densely populated areas, both urban and semi-urban.

The release of spectrum, refarming of existing spectrum, facilitating public–private partnerships, creating Internet demand and dealing with power supply challenges were some of the immediate actions to be expected from African governments, Govan-Vassen pointed out.

“Mobile Internet is relatively expensive for the majority of citizens on the African continent; even higher Living Standard Measure (LSM) subscribers only use mobile Internet when not connected to fixed wireless. So how can a citizen in the lower LSM afford mobile Internet connectivity plus monthly data and a smartphone?” she asked.

Countries on the continent need to leverage from one another’s expertise and achievement factors, with regional collaboration emerging as a key trend expected to influence the industry in 2017.

Political will and collaboration between the relevant stakeholders have been the key driving forces behind the success of the increased connectivity reach in some countries such as Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda.