Introduction: Why Telecentres Still Matter in a Mobile Era
As smartphones reshape daily life across Africa, a common question arises: are Community Information Centres (CICs), or telecentres, obsolete in a mobile-first world? New research from Ghana provides a nuanced answer. With 55% mobile adoption and millions browsing the internet on handheld devices, one might assume traditional telecentres are fading. Instead, a study of 10 CICs in Ghana’s Upper East Region, surveying 451 users, reveals a complementary dynamic: mobile technology and CICs work together to advance equitable development.
The Complementarity Thesis
The study reframes the debate. Mobile phones are excellent for quick tasks and information consumption, but when it comes to complex activities—creating content, navigating government portals, or engaging in extended learning—telecentres play a crucial role. The evidence shows a positive correlation between CIC access and community impact, and an even stronger link between CIC activities and tangible outcomes. The message is clear: we do not choose sides in a technology duel; we optimize a shared digital ecosystem.
Three Critical Functions Mobile Phones Cannot Replace
Across decades of ICT4D work, researchers have identified functions that mobile devices struggle to replicate. The Ghana study highlights three core areas where CICs are indispensable.
1. Digital Skills Development Beyond Basic Literacy
Mobile devices tend to support consumption rather than creation. Rural CICs, however, are driving real gains in digital literacy among youth, improving job search prospects and enabling structured e-learning. While a YouTube tutorial on spreadsheets or online filing may be possible on a phone, mastering complex software, government portals, or business planning requires the guided environment and expert assistance offered by telecentres.
2. Serving the Digitally Excluded
Mobile-first advocates sometimes overlook who remains left behind. CICs remain a lifeline for marginalized groups—the poor, the illiterate, migrants, people with disabilities—who may lack devices, data plans, or accessible services. The Ghana findings show telecentres providing universal design, services in local languages, and accessibility features that reduce barriers to participation in the digital economy.
3. Complex Task Facilitation and Government Services
While mobile interfaces excel at social media and quick communications, they falter with complex, multi-step tasks requiring larger screens, keyboards, and sustained attention. CICs enable access to e-government services and formal education programs that are cumbersome on mobile phones alone. Researchers noted a feedback loop: broader information resources at CICs led to more training programs and community activities, underscoring the value of mediated access.
The Mediation Effect: Why Human Support Matters
A striking finding is the mediating role of CIC activities. Access to technology alone accounts for part of the impact, but actively mediated use explains a much larger share of benefits. About 21% of the total effect of access is mediated by activities, while 61% of the effect related to information relies on guided practice. In short, simply providing devices isn’t enough—we need structured programming and human support to translate access into real community gains.
ICT4D Policy Implications: Toward Integrated Digital Ecosystems
The study challenges binary ICT4D debates. Instead of choosing between mobile-first strategies or telecentre-led interventions, successful development requires integrating both approaches. The authors advocate for co-located models that combine mobile functionality with traditional CIC services, enabling basic digital tasks while offering in-person help for complex needs. In practice, libraries and telecentres can serve as the hands-on core of public access to ICT, especially for communities underserved by commercial markets.
Telecentres Still Matter: Toward Inclusive Digital Inclusion
Ghana’s experience demonstrates that the mobile revolution has not erased the need for telecentres. These centres fill critical gaps: expanding digital skills, ensuring inclusive design, facilitating government service access, and providing the human mediation that turns technology access into empowerment. The challenge is clear: design integrated digital ecosystems that leverage the strengths of both platforms to achieve truly inclusive development outcomes.
Conclusion: A Shared Digital Future
Rather than pitting mobile technologies against telecentres, development practitioners should embrace a synergistic model. By co-locating services, investing in staff mediation, and tailoring offerings to local needs, CICs can accelerate digital inclusion and transform communities in Ghana and beyond.
