Determinants of adoption of Internet in Africa: Case of 17 sub-Saharan countries

The results confirm that urbanization and the spread of Internet infrastructures play an important role in individual decisions to adopt this technology and reveal that an individual will have a larger probability to use Internet if he/she has at least completed primary education.

Abstract

This study develops two-level hierarchical model that identifies factors that favor or hamper the use of Internet in Africa. We used data from a survey covering 17 African countries. Our results confirm that urbanization and the spread of Internet infrastructures play an important role in individual decisions to adopt this technology. They also reveal that an individual will have a larger probability to use Internet if he/she has at least completed primary education. Moreover, individual characteristics such as sex, age, level of education, and a social network membership greatly influence Internet adoption. Indeed, men are more likely to use Internet than women; this probability is larger if they are young (16–30 years old) or if they attained at least secondary education level or if they are members of a social network.