Good Mobile Access Fails To Boost Weak Connectivity Rating

Kenya’s performance on the 2009 Connectivity Scorecard places it nearly at the bottom of the nations sampled.  In almost every consumer and business measure of connectivity, Kenya failed to achieve a passing score.  Exceptions include an above average proportion of the population provided with mobile access, and a relatively high literacy rate.  Kenya displays one of the worst secondary school enrolment rates out of all the countries surveyed, along with weak broadband and internet penetration.  Bandwidth availability is also quite low.  Kenya’s E-Government ranking falls below the median.

Despite a history of innovation, notably in the mobile segment, Kenya’s economic progress is held back by a lack of investment in human development in order to provide workers with the skills necessary to drive an ICT-based economy.  Regulation of the telecommunications sector has also slowed development of the broadband services required to create a more sophisticated business infrastructure.

Kenya Connectivity Performance by Scorecard Component