CSquared has completed a broadband and digital skills programme in Ganta, Liberia, combining community Wi-Fi, digital training and affordable internet services in an effort to build a sustainable model for digital inclusion.
The project initially provided free Wi-Fi, attracting 33,000 users, before transitioning to a paid model. CSquared says approximately 10,000 residents and households now pay for the service, with traders and small businesses using the network for digital payments and daily operations.
The initiative also established a 20-seat computer lab at J.W. Pearson Public School, giving students access to computers and internet-based learning for the first time.
The bigger lesson from Ganta is that connecting people is only the first step. As Africa prepares for an AI-driven economy, communities also need the digital skills to make meaningful use of connectivity.
For the telecom industry, the project demonstrates a potentially scalable approach: build the infrastructure, develop digital skills and create an affordable commercial model that can sustain the network beyond the pilot stage.
Bottom line: Ganta is being presented as a test of whether Africa’s digital divide can be addressed not just by connecting communities, but by making that connectivity affordable, useful and sustainable.
Source : www. csquared.com
