ABSTRACT
In terms of the new global knowledge economy, Africa often is seen as largely excluded from the information technology revolution (Castells, 1998, p. 92). Castells (1996, p. 136) observes that "most of Africa ceased to exist as an economically viable entity in the informational/global economy" and Mabogunje (2000, p.169) writes of the Africa 'dis-connect'. Nevertheless, there are signs that this bleak picture of marginalization may be changing, at least in some parts of the global periphery. Currently, it is recorded that Africa is experiencing a transformation in knowledge access and outpacing the global average for the growth in number of Internet host systems, albeit from a low base (James, 1999). Looking at the continent as a whole French-speaking African countries enjoy a far higher Internet profile than non-French speaking countries and the northern and southern parts of Africa are far ahead of west and east Africa with the situation in central Africa the most undeveloped (James, 1999).
