3G Network has contributed to the reduction of poverty in Nigeria by 4.3%, according to the World Bank’s Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023.
The report highlighted the impact of digital connectivity on employment and sustainable wealth generation especially in low-income and developing countries.
The World Bank also emphasised the need to increase internet access and bridge the digital divide across gender and between developing and developed countries.
The report said the impact of faster internet on poverty reduction was also the same in Senegal, where extreme poverty was reduced by 10 per cent.
“Across Africa, 3G coverage has been linked to a reduction in extreme poverty of 10% in Senegal and of 4.3% in Nigeria. Analytics and data-driven decision-making can boost the sales of small and medium enterprises and help them to establish a competitive advantage,” it stated.
The report noted that the availability of faster internet increased the pace of employment by 13.2 per cent while total employment increased by 22 percent as a result of fast internet.
According to the report, there was a fourfold increase in exports due to fast internet in countries.
Additionally, the report noted that digital technologies could also reduce greenhouse gas (GhGs) emissions by 20% across sectors such as energy, materials, and mobility.
“Most countries of the world experienced robust growth in the IT sector with employment rising from 8 million at the turn of the century to 32 million in 2022,” it added.