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Africa presents a unique cultural climate for the introduction of computer technology not only because of its diverse population, varied geography and multifaceted issues but also because of it singular challenges. Africa is composed of 53 countries many gaining independence since 1950 containing 75 unique ethnic groups and approximately 700 million people. It has been colonized and hence influenced strongly by Europeans from France, Portugal, Britain, Spain, Italy and Belgium except for the countries of Ethiopia and Liberia. Martin & O'Meara<ref name=martin>{{cite book|author1=Martin, P. |author2=O'Meara, P.|title=Aftrica|year=1995|publisher=Indiana University Press}}</ref> describe Africa's diversity and some of the issues that it presents: ethnicity, geography, rural/urban life styles, family life (class levels), access to developed world products, education, and media.
Despite this somewhat overwhelming diversity in Africa, the need for self-determination by Africans as fought for example by the Nigerian's five Ogoni clans during the 1990s over oil rights is paramount. The "bare necessities of life – water, electricity, roads, education and a right to self-determination so that we can be responsible for our resources and our environment"<ref name=meredith>{{cite book|last=Meredith|first=M.|title=The Fate of Africa|url=https://archive.org/details/fateofafricafrom00mere|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Public Affairs|___location=New York|isbn=9781586482466}}</ref> must be respected. Technology such as computers is considered by some to be important in obtaining such self-determination for Africa especially in the area of education. While it has already had an extreme boost through the independence of many of the African countries, more education can lead to water, electricity, roads and more self-determination. Bill Clinton supports the use of technology in education stating, "[s]o, I think that the potential of information technology to empower individuals, promote growth, reduce inequality, increase government capacity, and make citizen interaction with government work better is enormous"<ref name=Clinton>{{cite web|last=Clinton|first=Bill|title=Remarks by Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation, and Bill Clinton, Former President of the United States, Microsoft Leaders Forum Africa 2006|url=https://news.microsoft.com/speeches/bill-gates-microsoft-government-leaders-forum-africa-2006/|access-date=11 July 2006}}</ref> And at the same forum, Bill Gates further states, "Out of 6 billion people, somewhat less than 1 billion are using this technology. ... Part of how to do that is by having community access, getting it into schools and libraries, and many of the projects we've done, both here in Africa and around the world have that theme that, although it won't be in the home at first, it will be accessible."<ref name=Clinton />The potential benefits of computer technology in Africa are numerous and significant. In addition to education, technology can aid in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, and business development. However, there are also challenges to overcome, such as the lack of infrastructure, internet connectivity, and access to electricity. Efforts to bridge the digital divide in Africa are ongoing, with initiatives such as One Laptop per Child, the African Union's Digital Transformation Strategy, and various private sector partnerships. It is important for these efforts to be sustainable, inclusive, and respectful of local cultures and contexts in order to truly empower Africans to harness the potential of technology for self-determination and development.
====South Africa and the Smart Cape Access Project====
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