Today, I’m asking this question after reviewing the recently released Connectivity Scorecard 2009 commissioned by Nokia Siemens Networks, which shows that Nigeria has the lowest ICT penetration, usage, potential and accessiblity out of 50 countries of the world.

The Connectivity Scorecard measures the availability of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), and the extent to which people, governments and enterprises put these technologies to economically productive use. The updated and expanded second version of the global ICT index is now available, which analyzes the impact of ICT investments on 50 countries from all parts of the world.

From the table below, you’ll see that Nigeria has the lowest connectivity score (1.30), and falls under the category of efficiency and resource-driven economies. Also, it’s clear that not a single African country falls under the category of innovation-driven economies, while . Does that mean that Africa has not been able to use ICTs for innovative purposes?

Can the connectivity scorecard be reliable?

The Connectivity Scorecard takes a comprehensive look at the usage and potential of ICT. Unlike other studies, it measures usage, skills such as literacy, the use of enterprise software and the accessibility of ICT to women. It clearly states the benefits of connectivity in terms of economic and social contributions, taking into account different countries’ varying needs.

In innovation driven economies, economic growth depends on finding new ways of using connectivity. In efficiency and resource driven economies, social development has a vital role in getting the most from connectivity investments. However, the study also shows that even the world’s best connected countries, such as the United States and Sweden, are not exploiting communications technologies to their fullest potential.

According to ITNewsAfrica,

The rankings are determined by the measurement of each country against two criteria – infrastructure and usage plus skills – in the realms of business, government and consumer, with weightings of each of the three tailored to each country. Low scores reflect gaps in a country’s infrastructure, usage or both.

How can African countries become innovation-driven economies?

The answer is: The Connectivity Scorecard 2009 shows that ICT development can be the key tool in turning round faltering economies and calls on governments to stimulate return to growth with investment in the infrastructure for the 21st century.

What could this mean for Nigeria?

It could mean two things:

1. That Nigeria has a long way to go to become one of the top 25 innovation-driven economies of the world.

Although the country has bright prospects, and have witnessed a lot of investments in ICTs in more recent times, and has been described as Africa’s largest telecoms market, how this translates in global terms is what is left to be desired.

2. That Nigeria’s Internet future is now!

As Nigerian Curiosity reports,

The international submarine communication cable has finally docked in Lagos, Nigeria. Built by Alcatel but financed by Globacom, a leading telecommunications service provider in Nigeria, the cable spans 9200km, came from Portugal and passes through 15 countries to reach Nigeria’s financial and commercial capital. Once launched, it will increase the quality and number of internet services for Globacom’s customers. Already, a Nigerian company owned by billionaire Dangote, Alheri, is putting up fibre optic cable lines all over the country to provide the faster internet capabilities to homes and offices. It seems that Nigeria’s internet future is at the doorstep.

What’s more?

The possibilities that await in Nigeria’s future are endless. Consider the India example. The arrival of the underwater cable to India was arguably a crucial factor in transforming India into a leader in the outsourced services market. That reality brought not just jobs to the country, but investment, and accelerated the country’s IT field. Now, Nigeria might not necessarily experience a growth in its IT sector or become a leader in the outsourced services market, but the underwater cable could provide a better outlet for indigenous industries such as Nollywood and the thriving Nigerian music scene. There would also bring more competition for local producers, forcing them to improve their products, which would be hard to deal with, but in a capitalist society, efficiency is crucial and the consumer will benefit.

My Prediction?

As Nigeria hopes to become one of the 20 best economies in the world by 2020, I’m predicting that the ICT connectivity scorecard would see an improvement and a listing among the top 10 innovation-driven economies of the world.