Social Change in Africa

Mobile phones carry a huge economic potential development in Africa. Over the past decade, Africa has experienced an increase in the use of mobile phones with over sixty percent of the population, having mobile phone coverage. Mobile phones restrictions have increased between 2002 and 2007. The expansion of mobile telephony, has not only reduced communication cost among Africans but have also enabled these individuals to coordinate information, markets and services, therefore, transforming their lives. Mobile technology has not only promoted economic development but has also enhanced other sectors including education, health care and social campaigns.

During the Connect Africa Summit (CAS) in 2007, Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda stated that, "In ten short years, there was once an object of luxury and privilege, the mobile phone, had become a basic necessity in Africa." Such statements, reflect the reality of the impact of mobile phones for the African economy. Such development can be recognized in countries like Kenya, where the mobile phone has become a tool for the mobile banking phenomenon. In 2007, Kenya's largest mobile operator, Safaricom, launched a new mobile phone based payment and money transfer service known as M-pesa, 'M' stands for mobile and 'pesa' is a Swahili word for money. M-pesa has become one of the most successful mobile phone based financial services in Africa. The average number of people, opening an M-pesa account per day, exceeded over 5000 in August 2007 and reached nearly 10,000 in December, that same year. By August 2009, 7.7 million M-pesa accounts, had been registered in the country. A large part of mobile banking's success in Kenya, has been attributed to the increase of mobile phone usage in the country. Another reason why mobile banking is progressive, is due to the huge divide between the number of mobile phone subscribers and the number of bank account holders. Figure one illustrates, this divide in four countries, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania. As indicated, there is more active mobile subscribers individuals with bank accounts in these east African countries. This, may be due to lack of financial education and the shortage of bank distributions in rural location. The fact that people in rural areas of Africa are not exposed to financial services close to their homes, forces them to suffer additional travelling cost, to get to their nearest back. Many are therefore discouraged from even having bank accounts. However, there is the mobile phone. And this device, helps link banking and mobility in to what is defined as M-pesa.

For the unbanked population, M-pesa has significantly enhanced their financial inclusion and economic participation. Now, they too, can use their phones to purchase products and services, send money to their families in other villages receive it, and pay for bills. M-pesa has also been extended to distribute salary in an efficient manner and has been in cooperated in many business models of African companies as a way to reduce their expenses. With more participants in M-pesa, the more the economy grows through trading activities.

Businesses have also benefited from the increase of mobile phone usage in Africa. When it comes to marketing strategies, it is highly efficient for a company to broadcast and advertise to specific consumers through their cell phones. This is done through text message alerts and reminders, in the form of telemarketing. Mobile technology is therefore helping boost the presence in rural and urban areas.

The mobile phone has for large extent provided educational opportunity, and a tool for accessing political information that's creating a well-informed societies. Mobility has empowered African communities and to reinforce social activism. In Uganda, the Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET), has for the past decade been advocating, developing information and communication technology programs for women, and including using cellphones for networking, campaigning and information sharing (Ekine 11). In their annual campaign against women violence called the sixteen days of activisms, WOUGNET sent daily text messages to subscribers, to set their meeting spots for demonstration. Likewise, the Tostan Community Empowerment program, based in rural areas Senegal, which focuses on improving