Moving Beyond the Rhetoric: Who Really Benefits from Investments in Digital Infrastructure in Low-Income and Low-Literacy Communities in Malawi?

ICTs are touted as a key enabler for empowerment of marginalised communities. Key areas of interest include access to financial services, education and e-government services. However, digital technologies have the potential to marginalise those who lack access. This chapter discusses the digital divide in the context of Malawi, a developing country in Sub-Saharan Africa. Focussing on access and utility gaps of the digital didvide, analysis of didgital inequalities is guided by the Digital Human Capital (DHC) framework. It utilises data published by the Reserve Bank of Malawi, Malawi National Statistical Office, and International Telecommunications Union. Findings show that location, education and income remain key factors to ICT access.