Over 4 million subscribed for Mobile telephony
Users accessing broadband services exceed 2 million subscribers
The Government has long committed to exploiting digital technologies power ridge versatility and agility to achieve socio- economic development, Thulaganyo Segokgo, Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology has told Parliament.
This commitment was made clear through a National ICT Policy called Maitlamo which provides the roadmap for taking advantage of existing and emerging opportunities of a network digital society.
Segokgo explained that through implementing Maitlamo, Government seeks to use technology to improve Botswana’s global competitiveness and transform its people’s social economic, cultural and political aspects. He stated that the Maitlamo articulates foundational programmes for achieving Botswana’s digital transformation agenda.
Segokgo explained that these programmes are to connect communities through state of the art network infrastructures, provision of the speed of these services by private and public sector and to enact supporting legislation framework to enable Botswana to take advantage of opportunities arising from technological innovations.
He said that Government has made impressive strides in implementing the National ICT Policy ( Maitlamo) in two fronts; deploying network infrastructure and enacting the necessary legal framework. “The implementation of the e- service programme is starting to gain momentum.”
According to Segokgo, the uptake of services offered through the deployed infrastructure is steadily rising, attested by the growing base of mobile telephony subscribers. The current mobile telephony subscriber base exceeds four million equating to a tele- density of 210 percent.
The Minister indicated that the ever- increasing numbers of users accessing broadband services is also testament that Botswana is using the deployed infrastructure. He pointed out that the current number of registered users accessing broadband services is estimated to exceed two million subscribers.
He added that COVID- 19 has accelerated the rollout of its eservice programmes by the public and private sector. In addition to the National Policy, Botswana has developed a National Broadband Strategy and the SmartBots strategy to respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The strategies guide Government on leveraging digital technology to catalyse economic growth. It offers a clear roadmap to connecting every citizen, business and community to high speed broadband infrastructure at cost- effective prices and high quality service standards.
Segokgo said through implementing the strategies, Botswana seeks to effectively respond to escalating economic complexities, fast pace changes and aggressive competition caused by the innovative use of digital technologies in business trade, personal relationships and public governance.
“To give herself a competitive edge, Botswana follows an ecosystem approach in implementing the strategy. The approach encourages every player in the broadband value chain to play their role in achieving a connected Botswana” Segokgo stated.
Segokgo told Parliament that the rising cable theft negates National Policy implementation and disrupts the development agenda. If it continues unabated, he said it carries high potential of hindering the country’s aspirational objectives of becoming a high income economy. He added that it also erodes the efficiencies realised by deploying infrastructure and public services online to the community.
Segokgo who is also MP for Tlokweng, explained that every cable theft denies citizens the convenience of accessing public services such as renewals of motor vehicle licences, tax remittance, submission of annual returns, Companies and Intellectual Property Authority ( CIPA) among others from the comfort of their homes.
“The disruptions caused reverse Government effort to decongest offices and reduce the distance people travel to access services and the cost associated with accessing them,” he said, adding that cable theft has a significant adverse implication for the financial sector which depends heavily on mobile telephony to reach unbanked and underserved communities.
According to Botswana Communication Regulatory Authority ( BOCRA), the current mobile money subscribers stands at 1 788 511 subscribers which generated mobile money transactions that amount to P20 486 446 714 in December 2021.