
Three major African cities rank in the bottom half of a technology and innovation index of 31 urban areas across the globe.
The Ericsson Networked Society City Index report for 2013 analyses information and communications technology (ICT) driven benefit creation in 31 of the world’s largest cities, with Johannesburg, Lagos and Cairo being added to the list.
According to a press statement, each city’s ICT maturity is measured in terms of leverage from technology investments regarding economic, social and environmental development: the “triple bottom line” effect.
The technology aspect for the index has been updated to include dimensions such as 4G, open data, e-transactions and more advanced usage.
Stockholm was ranked as the top urban centre overall in the Networked Society City Index 2013, followed by London and Singapore.
But the three major African cities rank low with regard to the index, as South Africa’s economic hub Johannesburg is at number 22, Cairo at 27 and Lagos at 29.
Dhaka in Bangladesh ranks at 31.
The index highlights that Johannesburg is a ‘city in transition’ with regard to ICT.
“Cities in transition towards a networked and developed society need to ensure continued, positive development through improved ICT maturity,” reads a section of the report.
Patrik Regårdh, head of Ericsson’s Networked Society Lab, said, “ICT significantly speeds up interactions between various actors, making them more intense and cost-effective. The reduced cost of information exchange and transactions lowers the threshold for new enterprises and collaborations. As a result, a city’s economic development becomes vitalised.”
He added, “ICT enables completely new ways for citizens to interact with their city and its environment. It becomes a platform for collaboration where citizens can share information and more actively engage in dealing with every day issues.”
Click here to view the full report.
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