This, ITRealms gathered currently exist five countries including Nigeria across two continents.
The Vice President (VP) of Internet.org at Facebook, Chris Daniels, confirmed this to ITRealms, saying that the company mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected.
"Only half of the planet is on the internet – our aim with Internet.org is to connect the other half through initiatives such as Free Basics, solar-powered airplanes, satellites, and our exciting new programme, Express Wifi. According to the ITU, internet Penetration in Africa is now at 28%, but there is so much more do be done.”
Daniels who spoke at the 2016 AfricaCom in South Africa said Express Wifi by Facebook empowers local entrepreneurs to provide quality internet access to their communities and make a steady income.
Working with local internet service providers or mobile operators, Daniels explained that they’re able to use software provided by Facebook to connect their communities.
In Africa, he said, Facebook already has partners in Tanzania, Nigeria, and South Africa, with more deployments planned soon, including Ghana.
“This is a sustainable approach to bringing connectivity to underserved communities in countries across Africa – it is a business model that will grow itself because it empowers entrepreneurs to serve their communities,” he said.
This programme, ITRealms reports has also improved the skills of local entrepreneurs who work with Facebook and its ISP partners to build, install and maintain local wifi networks.
“We're encouraged by the progress we've made - but also inspired by what we've seen in the community. It’s exciting to see local economies transformed by connectivity as people use the internet to enhance existing businesses or create new ones,” Daniels said.
Chuks Egbune/GEE
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