Free and open source software in sub-Saharan Africa: development through information

Donors have been promoting information and communication technologies as central to development. But the enforcement of intellectual property rights through the World Trade Organization will make it difficult for developing countries to use proprietary software on a large scale. In sub-Saharan Africa, free and open source software may be a cheaper and more appropriate alternative.

An article from Lancaster University, UK, looks at the feasibility of using free and open source software (FOSS) to promote development through information, in sub-Saharan Africa. The FOSS movement in Africa is defined as a non-proprietary or non-copyrighted approach to software.

Developing countries joining the World Trade Organization will soon be subject to the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) agreement. They will then be barred from using cheap counterfeit copies of proprietary software such as Microsoft’s Windows XP. As it is, sub-Saharan African countries already pay US$24 billion annually to western software companies.

Information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure is still very limited in sub-Saharan Africa, and indeed may not be a top priority relative to other developmental needs. Groups such as FOSS For Africa have, however, rapidly expanded, as mobile telephones and community centres have meant that Internet connectivity is no longer limited to urban centres.

In Africa, FOSS is seen as an alternative to proprietary software because of:

• the cost of ownership: the average African would need to work 10 months to buy a copy of Windows XP
• the possibility of modifying the software to local requirements, for example by changing the language used
• the development of a knowledge base in programming and other skills, which could give Africa a competitive advantage if FOSS gains ground globally
• the possibility of establishing independent national capacity in a key technology, with local operators having significant cost advantages over foreign service providers.

FOSS is expected to boost the advantages of spreading ICTs across sub-Saharan Africa. But there are several challenges to overcome:

• The financial and educational ability to take advantage of any sort of computing is unevenly distributed, and spreading FOSS will need enough users familiar with the technology.
• Some African governments are less aware of the possibilities of local FOSS-based development, and may choose to use established software either because of the perception of their dependability, or because of heavy lobbying from software companies.
• Different groups, both public and private sector, may have very different priorities as to the software systems they want to use.
• The costs of switching between software systems once expertise has been gained and files have been generated and stored are very high: donor programmes may be tied to proprietary software, and compatibility among business partners may be a problem.

African governments pursuing an development strategy through information need to consider how FOSS might serve them for the future, given the rapid expansion of ICTs already installed. The difficulty of avoiding compliance with TRIPs suggests a FOSS strategy may be necessary for technological independence in ICTs tailored to local needs.

Source(s):
‘Escaping the TRIPs’ Trap: The Political Economy of Free and Open Source Software in Africa’, Political Studies, Vol.54, pages 123-146, by Christopher May, 2006

id21 Research Highlight: 27 April 2007

Further Information:
Christopher May
Department of Politics and International Relations
County College South
Lancaster University
Lancaster LA1 4YL, UK

Tel: +44 (0)1524 594272
Fax: +44 (0)1524 594238
Contact the contributor: c.may@lancaster.ac.uk

Lancaster University

Other related links:
'Improving understanding of the links between ICTs and poverty reduction'

'Harnessing new communication technologies for development in Africa' '

'Getting to know the WTO'

'Can the WTO do more for developing countries?'

'Learning to trip up: how international regulation affects development strategies'

Eldis Intellectual Property Rights Resource Guide

TRIPS material on the WTO website >