Africans Need Computers as Much as Food and Water

"Africans need food, water and so on, but we also need affordable computing... I believe that Africa is about to miss a great development opportunity, in much the same way as it lost out in the industrial revolution, unless serious and committed efforts are made by Africa to address the rapid expansion of the digital divide.

"...Like both Nkrumah and Mandela, I am certain that Africa has to own its development processes. A lack of specialised knowledge means that Africans are using computer and internet systems that they are not involved in producing."

-- Nii Quaynor, Ghanaian computer scientist in the interview "Africa's Internet Evangelist", New Scientist 9 August 2008