Like many African countries, Burundi has made digital transformation a key driver of its economic and social development. However, the country struggles to finance its various projects.
Burundi is exploring partnerships with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for digital projects. An IFC delegation met with the Burundian Executive Secretariat for Information and Communication Technologies (SETIC) on Monday to discuss the matter.
The initiative aligns with Burundi’s vision of becoming an emerging country by 2040 and a developed nation by 2060, with digital technology as a key development driver. The government aims for a "technological leap" to boost economic growth by fostering business activities within a secure legal framework leveraging ICT.
In January, the Senate unanimously ratified the East African Community (EAC) protocol on ICT networks, facilitating stronger cooperation with neighboring countries to accelerate digital sector development. In November 2024, Burundi signed a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam to deepen collaboration in this area. The World Bank launched the $92 million Digital Economy Foundations Project (PAFEN) in September 2024 to support Burundi’s digital infrastructure.
Despite these efforts, Burundi ranks 46th out of 47 African countries in the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 2024 ICT Development Index, with a score of 24.4 out of 100. The country’s internet penetration rate is 19%, mobile broadband coverage is 8.3%, and mobile phone usage is 25.6%. Only 50.6% of the population has at least 3G coverage, and 32.2% has 4G. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) classifies Burundi as having a low e-Government Development Index (EGDI) of 0.2480 out of 1, significantly below the global average of 0.6382.
Details of the SETIC-IFC discussions remain unclear. No official agreement has been signed or announced, leaving the scope and implications of the potential collaboration uncertain.
By Isaac K. Kassouwi,
Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji
