The Global Innovation Fund (GIF) has provided a funding of $450,000 for South African internet provider, Isizwe, to expand access in the country.
The ISP firm provides cheap, pay-per-use limitless WiFi access to low-income communities. In South Africa, Isizwe customers “pay R5 ($0.33) for 24 hours of internet access, as opposed to R100 ($6.63) per gigabyte”.
Isizwe can provide cheaper internet because it constructs WiFi zones with hardware that link directly to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and this allows it to avoid investing in expensive backhaul infrastructure. They work with local communities in a collaborative way by employing sales agents known as “WiFi entrepreneurs” to engage with communities and handle direct sales.
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This GIF investment in Isizwe is part of its ADVANCE project. ADVANCE is a partnership between GIF and Anglo American. It’s a fund aimed at enabling private sector investment in innovative ideas and businesses that meet the USDGs, and it helps these businesses scale.
Speaking of this investment, Isizwe’s CEO, Tim Genders noted, “Over 90% of homes in Africa only have mobile data as the way of connecting to the internet. This is on a per-gigabyte billing basis, so it is incredibly expensive to connect. The cost is similar to the cost of bathing in bottled water.
Governments in developed countries understand the dangers of a digital divide and give significant investment to connect their rural communities. Connectivity is the new key to unlocking the poverty trap, so it is great to see GIF and Anglo American applying this to Africa.”
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Isizwe has constructed 80 WiFi zones since it began in 2020 and plans to develop over 25,000 Wifi Zones in South Africa by 2022.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry