Introduction: A Counterintuitive Finding in Ghana’s Digital Landscape
As mobile adoption climbs and internet access through phones becomes common, many observers wonder whether Community Information Centres (CICs), or telecentres, still matter. New research from Ghana’s Upper East Region reveals a more nuanced reality: mobile technology and telecentres aren’t enemies but partners in driving equitable development. By surveying 451 users across 10 CICs, the study shows that telecentres contribute to transformative community outcomes in ways that mobile-only approaches cannot.
The Complementarity Thesis: Friends, Not Foes
The central message is straightforward: while smartphones excel at quick information retrieval, passive consumption, and simple tasks, more complex activities require the structured environment, skilled assistance, and broader information ecosystems that CICs provide. This is not a competition between devices but an acknowledgment that different tools satisfy different needs within a shared digital ecosystem.
Statistical analysis in the study demonstrates a significant positive correlation between CIC access and community impact. Moreover, activities conducted at CICs show an even stronger relationship with measurable outcomes, underscoring that access alone is not enough without supported use.
Three Critical Functions Mobile Phones Cannot Replace
Historical and contemporary data converge on a simple insight: the demand for telecentre-based services persists. The Ghana study highlights three key functions where CICs add unique value.
1) Digital Skills Development Beyond Basic Literacy
Phones are excellent for consumption, but creating, analyzing, and navigating complex digital tasks require more than a screen and a touch. Rural CICs are pivotal in boosting digital literacy among youth, improving job search capabilities, and enabling effective e-learning. Telecentres provide structured training, peer learning opportunities, and access to tools like spreadsheets, design software, and government portals that are less accessible on a small device screen.
2) Serving the Digitally Excluded
Mobile-first narratives often overlook who remains outside the digital economy. CICs are crucial for marginalized groups—poor households, illiterate individuals, migrants, and people with disabilities—who face barriers to commercial digital services. CICs offer universal design accessibility, services in local languages, and a non-commercial access point that reduces dependence on ownership of devices and data plans.
3) Complex Task Facilitation and Government Services
Mobile interfaces work well for social updates and light communication, but they struggle with tasks requiring large screens, keyboards, and sustained attention. CICs enable access to e-government portals, formal training programs, and other services that are cumbersome on mobile alone. The study found that information availability at CICs generates a positive feedback loop: broader resources drive more training and community activities, reinforcing local development momentum.
The Mediation Effect: Why Human Intermediation Matters
A striking finding is the mediating role of CIC activities. The research shows that structured programming and human support translate access into real benefits, accounting for 21% of total effects of access and 61% for information. In short, simply providing technology does not guarantee impact; guided practice and skilled mediation are essential to unlock the potential of digital tools.
Policy Implications: Toward Integrated Digital Ecosystems
Rather than choosing between mobile-first strategies and telecentre models, the study advocates for integrated approaches. Co-locating CICs with mobile-friendly services, and embedding in-person support for complex needs, creates a more inclusive digital ecosystem. Public libraries and community spaces can play a key role in delivering this blended model, ensuring that equitable digital inclusion reaches those most underserved.
Conclusion: Redefining the Role of Telecentres
Ghana’s experience demonstrates that the mobile revolution has not rendered telecentres obsolete. Instead, CICs fulfill gaps that market-driven mobile solutions cannot fill: advanced digital skills development, inclusive access, navigational support for government services, and the human mediation that turns access into empowerment. The challenge ahead is designing integrated digital ecosystems that leverage the complementary strengths of mobile technology and telecentre services to achieve truly inclusive development outcomes.
