The Botswana National Information and Communication Technology Policy and Economic Diversification: How Have We Fared Thus far?

Abstract

The main objective of the paper is to determine, using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) data from the World Bank and the World Economic Forum’s Global Information Technology Report, how Botswana is doing in terms of achieving its domestic ICT milestones. An assessment of domestic ICT sector progress, as per the Botswana National Policy on ICT, reveals a substantial improvement in the quality and access to ICT. For instance, as far as quality is concerned, fixed broadband subscriber (as a percentage of total internet subscribers) has substantially increased from none in 2000 to 89% in 2008. On the issue of access, the most significant outcome is the fact that mobile phones are a default ICT tool among the general population, with coverage of about 99% of the population. The results of the paper are important as they will help the government of Botswana determine whether ICT can be one of the sectors that can lead Botswana to be a more diversified economy.