Smart villages to increase Internet penetration

Young women at a vocational school. The government has encouraged youth to join vocational institutions. Photo/File 

EMMANUEL RUTAYISIRE Special Corresponden

In Summary

• Officials say the villages will attract investors aiming to benefit from readily available infrastructure to expand their businesses, which the government says will create job opportunities and reduce rural-urban migration.
• In collaboration with the private sector, the government expects to increase the number of households with television sets, telephony and computers.
• The third phase of the ICT rollout programme is expected to enable schools to have their teachers and students access education materials through computer applications.

The government plans to establish smart villages across the country in order to strengthen the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

Officials say the villages will attract investors aiming to benefit from readily available infrastructure to expand their businesses, which the government says will create job opportunities and reduce rural-urban migration.

The government has since 2003 stepped up investment in ICT sector by creating the appropriate legal regime and infrastructure to attract foreign direct investment.

Investment in ICT has seen increased penetration of Internet services across the country and use of telephones and computers in health, agriculture and education sectors and government offices.

Youth and ICT Minister Jean Philibert Nsengimana said the government has laid a sufficient foundation that will increase health services delivered through the ICT platform from the current 40 per cent to 100 per cent in the next five years.

In collaboration with the private sector, the government expects to increase the number of households with television sets, telephony and computers.

“We want to increase accessibility of broadband from eight to five per cent in five years,” said Mr Nsengimana.

The third phase of the ICT rollout programme is expected to enable schools to have their teachers and students access education materials through computer applications.

“Forget about Kigali; this will be happening in Nyaruguru, Nyagatare. Something that resonates with the rural folk,” the minister said.

Industry players however say the government is far from realising the smart village plan because some of the requirements are yet to be fulfilled.

There is growing concern that the government might spend much money on an unviable project – like it did when, in 2007, it set up the now dysfunctional Rwf5.81 million ICT kiosks in some urban centres.