eCommerce & Internet: Zimbabwean Perspective 2003

Technology-wise, the world has moved into the Internet Era – birthed in 1995. This has seen the birth of Electronic Commerce (eCommerce). In short Internet means ‘network of networks’, in terms of Information and Communication Technologies.
eCommerce, through the Internet and other related technologies, is the bringing of Investors, Employees, Management, Consumers, Customers, Suppliers, Competitors, and Government Departments together in a virtual business environment.
1.1 Globally

The Internet is now the widely viewed as the fastest growing communications phenomenon of all time. The comparative chart below places into context the dramatic pace of growth of the World Wide Web (www), a central feature of the Internet for most users.
ITU, January 1999
At present the Internet user rate is at an estimate of 300 million, and is expected to reach 500 million in 2005. Revenues are currently estimated at US$1.3 trillion, which are expected to rise to about US$3 trillion by 2005.
1.2 Africa

We will view the growth of Information and Communications Technologies from two perspectives – political and Industrially.
Politically – By virtue of international governance, our technological advancement has been determined by bodies, which have been stirring us in their desire directions – deemed to be relevant. In these last two decades, international organisations have created spearheading bodies like the African Information and Communications Initiative (AICI), which is a child of the United Nations – Economic Commission for Africa (UN/ECA). The UN/ECA held a conference for African Ministers in Addis Ababa in May 1995, requested so as to set up a high-level working group on Information and Communications Technologies in Africa, made
Copyright © 2004 by Regai Oscar Manduku Copyright © 2004 by Regai Oscar Manduku
up of African technological experts, to prepare an Action Plan in this field. The group was set up, which is now in operation, spearheaded by the AICI. The vision of the plan is ‘Building Africa’s Information Highway’. The vision of the AICI is to support and accelerate socio-economic development across the region by focussing on priority strategies, programmes and projects.
Industrially – The relentless competition, innovation and massive drops in the price of Information and Communications Technologies, and fundamentally altered the nature of the global economy, mean that Africa has a window of opportunity to use these tools to accelerate its own socio-economic development. With the youngest population in the world, Africa has unique opportunities because youth most easily adopt new ideas and ways of working with information and communication tools.
1.3 Zimbabwe

eCommerce is still at its tender stages. The reasons being lack of knowledge by most economic entities. This has been caused by the slow deregulation of the Communications Industry, which is a major entity in eCommerce. However, the introduction of more players in Communications Industry brings us to a very strategic position in the near future. We are the only country in the continent to have six players – three fixed providers (PowerTel (ZESA), TelOne, and TeleAccess) and three mobile providers (NetOne, Telecel, and Econet). We can successfully compete with any nation for dominance. We have the ability to serve the region in terms of communications, which is the backbone of eCommerce.
However, we have slackened on the Information Technology side. Please read more details from the Competitor Analysis below.