World Bank backs Central Africa with $215m

Central Africa Backbone Programme (CAB) to develop high-speed infrastructure and reduce end-user prices

8 October, 2009

By Brian Dolby

The World Bank Group has announced a $215m programme to bring low cost, open access, high-speed internet to Central Africa.

The Central Africa Backbone Programme (CAB), announced during ITU World Telecom 2009, will support the countries of the Central African region in developing their high-speed telecommunications backbone infrastructure to increase the availability of high-speed internet and reduce end-user prices. It will also help countries harmonize the laws and regulations that govern the ICT sector to increase private sector investment and improve competition.

Three countries - Cameroon, Chad and Central African Republic (CAR) - are participating in the initial $26.2m phase of the programme. A further eight countries are also eligible to participate in the programme: Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Principe, and Sudan.

The CAB programme, which will be introduced in three phases, is being supported through a partnership between the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB). The programme also aims to leverage an additional $98m from the private sector.

It was highlighted at the press conference that the programme would bring much needed connectivity to Central Africa. Until now, people in Central Africa have the lowest quality and highest cost internet and telephone services in Africa. The population pays up to two times more in monthly internet rates than people living in other African countries, and up to three times more than those living in other parts of the world.

"This is very important to the countries involved and lies at the heart of their development strategies. It will assist countries to strengthen their enabling environment, create competition and ultimately increase access and lower the costs for end users," says Mary Barton-Deck, World Bank country director for Cameroon, Chad and Central African Republic.

A further programme for Western Africa is also in the pipeline.