The World Bank revealed this Tuesday (23) in Maputo that it is supporting a government-led program aimed at improving access to digital devices, an initiative expected to mobilize up to USD 25 million and benefit more than 300,000 people, with a particular focus on women and young people.
The announcement was made by Anna-Elisabeth Costafrolaz, World Bank representative, during the 5th National Communications Conference, while addressing the challenges of digital inclusion in the country.
According to Costafrolaz, over the past two decades the main challenge for digital connectivity in Africa was the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure. However, she argued that the context has changed. “Mozambique has made real progress in this area. The problem has changed. Today, the vast majority of Mozambicans live within mobile network coverage, but only about a quarter actually use the internet,” she said.
For the World Bank representative, the gap between network coverage and actual internet use is now the main obstacle to digital inclusion. “This difference between coverage and usage is the central challenge of digital inclusion in 2026,” she stressed.
Costafrolaz explained that one of the main factors behind this situation is the high cost of digital devices. “We can see the device as the gateway to the digital economy, and for many Mozambicans that door is closed,” she said. She cited recent Findex survey data showing that smartphone ownership is associated with a 34 percentage point higher likelihood of using essential digital services, including online learning, public services, agricultural information, and job platforms. “These are not marginal gains, they are transformative gains,” she said.
According to the World Bank representative, among the poorest 40% of Mozambique’s population, only 18% own an internet-enabled phone. “Not 80%, not 50%—18%. The main reason is price,” she stated.
Costafrolaz added that the cheapest smartphone with broadband capability currently available on the Mozambican market costs the equivalent of 154% of the monthly income of someone in the poorest 40% of the population. “This means the entry point to the digital economy costs more than a month’s salary for most people in this country,” she noted.
Faced with this situation, she advocated financing mechanisms to make devices more affordable, including installment payment models, microcredit, and pay-as-you-go schemes. However, she warned that these tools do not always reach the most vulnerable populations. “We are talking about people with informal incomes, limited collateral, and no credit history. These populations are simply too risky to serve, and that results in a market failure,” she said.
According to Costafrolaz, the program will be implemented in phases. “The program will have an initial tranche of USD 5 million, but is expected to scale up to USD 25 million, with a clear focus on women and youth,” she said.
The initiative is expected to benefit more than 300,000 people and directly support the government’s “Internet for All” program. The World Bank representative also explained that the program’s design will seek to avoid market distortions by leveraging the installed capacity of private partners. “The device program should not distort the market. It should instead leverage private partner networks and capacity for efficiency and scale,” she said.
She added that digital inclusion depends not only on access to devices but also on citizens’ ability to use available technologies effectively. “Access to devices must be accompanied by support for meaningful use,” she said. Costafrolaz also warned about risks linked to uncertified equipment. “Counterfeit, unapproved, or non-compliant devices are a direct threat to digital inclusion programs,” she said.
She further argued that expanding access to digital devices must be accompanied by environmental sustainability measures, including collection, repair, and e-waste management systems. In her remarks, she said Mozambique is currently well positioned to accelerate digital inclusion. “Mozambique is at a pivotal moment. The ambition is real. There is a vision, there is a clear strategy, and there is also a concrete funded program for digital devices,” she said.
For the World Bank representative, the success of this agenda will depend on the combination of financing, regulation, and sustainability. “Getting this right requires three things working together: financing tools that ensure more Mozambicans can access devices, a regulatory environment that ensures a well-governed, safe and competitive market, and sustainability frameworks that ensure the digital dividend does not come at an environmental cost,” she concluded.
The remarks were made during the panel “Terminal Devices in the Digital Ecosystem: Regulation, Inclusion and Sustainability,” which featured Salomão David, Director of Communications and Statistics, Emmanuel Manasseh, Director at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for Africa, Afonso Madivádua Júnior, Head of the Technical Compliance and Quality of Service Department, Christian Schattenmann from Bamboo, and Belmiro Quive, representative of BDQ.
The 5th National Communications Conference concludes this Tuesday after two days of debates promoted by Mozambique’s Communications Regulatory Authority (INCM). The event brings together policymakers, regulators, telecom operators, academics, investors, cooperation partners, and national and international experts to discuss key challenges and opportunities in the country’s digital transformation. Topics under discussion include connectivity expansion, digital infrastructure development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital inclusion, emergency communications, 5G, satellite services, and future generations of telecommunications.
Source: Diário Económico
