Mastodawn

Per Axbom Jan 11, 2023

I'm a white dude who was born in Liberia. Almost 50 years ago. Though I have no national attachment to this West African country, my emotional attachment is significant.

I haven't been back since 1979, but I follow news. And I was weirdly proud when President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Yes, Liberia had a female president. The first elected female head of state in Africa.

And in 2018 Liberia had its first ever peaceful democratic transition of government from President Johnson Sirleaf to president George Weah.

Yes, that’s also the football player who was the first and only player to win FIFA World Player of the Year AND the Ballon d’Or awards while representing an African country internationally. And the father of Tim Weah who plays for the United States.

What I’ve been following more recently though is the (un)affordability of Internet access.

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Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - Wikipedia

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Per Axbom Jan 11, 2023

With a fiber optics cable active since 2013, the potential for low-cost Internet in Liberia is already apparent. Under president Weah, the cost of internet access has unfortunately increased.

The government has increasingly seen levies on mobile phone usage as an attractive source for tax collection. This was to address the huge shortfalls Liberia was experiencing because of the withdrawal of the huge United Nations Missions from the country.

Ironically the country now does not meet the UN Broadband Commission’s affordability threshold.

It costs the lowest 20% of earners in Liberia almost 50% of their monthly income to pay for 1GB of data. That is 5 hours of Internet browsing, or 30 minutes of HD video streaming. Per month, for half your income. Total internet penetration in Liberia is around 20%.

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The Internet is unaffordable in Liberia: action is needed to ‘SET’ the agenda for positive change

In Liberia, which has emerged from civil wars and the Ebola epidemic, the current crisis further risks exacerbating an already wide digital divide, with negative ramifications for the economy.

Alliance for Affordable Internet

Anne-Lie Lokko Jan 12, 2023

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Per Axbom

We call the Internet ubiquitous and global. Access is so often assumed. The internet as a democratising force is obvious, but everything that can be a force for positive change can also exclude. As always, those without a voice are not heard.

As I’m reflecting on my work within the digital space, and the impact I hope to have, I’m realising more and more I would love to make connections in Liberia and help out in some way with any digital struggles.

That’s as far as I’ve come in these thoughts. Hopefully to be continued.

If you live in Liberia or have connections to the country I would love to connect. I’ve also lived in Tanzania and I am truly interested in the whole continent. Give me a shout.

I regularly read The Continent and highly recommend it for an African perspective and outlook. You can subscribe to it using Signal.

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The Continent

The Mail & Guardian