Africans have more access to cellphone infrastructure than they do basic services, according to a report released by research body Afrobarometer today.
Dubbed "Developing Africa's Infrastructure: the Rough Road to Better Services", the report is based on a survey that sampled 34 countries and aims to show differences in infrastructure access. The report said: "Less than two-thirds of surveyed areas have ready access to an electricity grid (64%), health clinic (62%), and piped water (59%).
"While large majorities have ready access to schools and cellphone services, many Africans still do not enjoy adequate access to health clinics and police posts, as well as to electricity and water supply services, especially in rural areas," it said.
Widespread coverage
Afrobarometer noted cellphone coverage is nearly universal (93%) and most communities have access to a school (88%). Meanwhile, around a quarter (27%) of them have access to a post office, while access to sewerage systems is at around (28%).
"Country-level differences in access to service infrastructure are enormous - 89% lack access to piped water in Liberia, while teams report 100% access in Mauritius. Rural-urban differences are also large, especially with respect to electricity (a 48 percentage point gap in favour of urban areas), piped water (45 point gap), paved roads (44 point gap) and police stations (38 point gap)."
SA was ranked eighth on access to electricity, behind Swaziland, Morocco, Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Mauritius and Tunisia. It was also ranked 10th for access to water services.
According to Afrobarometer, the average access to key services across the 34 countries surveyed is:
* Cellphone service: 93%
* School: 88%
* Electricity grid: 64%
* Health clinic: 62%
* Piped water system: 59%
* Paved roads: 47%
* Police station: 38%
* Sewerage system: 28%
* Post office: 27%
* Market stalls: 68%
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