Digital Divide and Access to Basic Services in West Africa: Empirical Evidence on Socioeconomic Determinants

Nanamoudou Diakite, Ibrahima Diallo, Babacar Sene and Omar Sene

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Abstract: The rapid digitalization of sub-Saharan Africa has generated considerable hope for territorial development. Yet behind the dominant discourse of technological leapfrogging lies a troubling reality: the digital divide may amplify existing inequalities rather than reduce them. This study examines this crucial question through analysis of six West African countries using Afrobarometer Round 9 data. We construct a multidimensional digital divide index integrating equipment access, internet usage, and information isolation, then quantify its association with three essential services: drinking water, health, and education. Our results reveal three major findings that challenge current policies. First, formal education constitutes the most powerful determinant of digital inclusion, well ahead of wealth or geographic location. Second, digital divide is strongly associated with deficits in access to essential services, and this association persists even after rigorous control for territorial heterogeneity via district fixed effects models. Third, contrary to expectations, the impact of digital exclusion does not vary significantly between rural and urban areas, suggesting that marginalization transcends simple geographic dichotomy.

Keywords: digital divide; basic services; social capital; West Africa; territorial development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H41 I38 O33 O55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr and nep-ict
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:esprep:329654

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