The Nature and Accessibility of E-Government in Sub Saharan Africa

Electronic government (e-government) is a phenomenon that is linked to the information society and the advantages associated with it. E-government allows government departments to network and integrate their services using information and communication technologies (ICTs) in order to improve service delivery and enhance the relationship between the government and the public. The major ingredients of e-government are infrastructure, human resources and information. The reality in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is that all these ingredients are insufficient. The ICT infrastructure is not widely available to rural populations. In most cases, both government officials and the people who may want to use government services online lack basic skills. Government information is not properly organized as records management systems in many countries are collapsing.