Presentation

African cities are still characterized by populations that are largely employed in the informal sector. But they have undergone an unprecedented digital transformation. The rapid development of new information and communication technologies, and in particular the increasing use of the Internet and mobile telephony, seem likely to lead to profound changes in the daily lives of these urban populations. The enthusiasm generated by this digital transformation is shared by a "community" of researchers, NGOs, donors, and companies around new technologies for development (ICTD). Drawing on recent research and first-hand data on the use of mobile phones in Dakar's informal sector, we will examine the nature of this ICTD discourse and will illustrate the complexity of its implications and challenges for African cities.

Bibliography

• Aker J.C. et Mbiti I.M., (2010), "Mobile phones and economic development in Africa”, The Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 24 (3), p. 207-232.
• Les dividendes du numérique. Rapport sur le Développement dans le Monde, 2016, World Bank, Washington. 
• Berrou J.P. et Eekhout T., "L’économie informelle : un défi au rêve d’émergence des économies africaines ?", Études internationales, Volume 50, Numéro 1, Printemps 2019, p. 121–146.
• Burrell J. et Oreglia E., "The myth of market price information: mobile phones and the application of economic knowledge in ICTD", Economy and Society, vol. 44 (2), p. 271-292, (2015).
• Jensen R., "The Digital Provide: Information (Technology), Market Performance, and Welfare in the South Indian Fisheries Sector”, The Quarterly Journal of Economics. 1 août 2007. Vol.122 (3), p. 879‑924, (2007).