ABSTRACT
This chapter examines an important component of the innovation system in continuation of our focus on institutions. It analyses the physical rather than knowledge or non-physical infrastructure such as metrology and Research and Development services. The chapter discusses the infrastructure condition of Sub-Saharan Africa and provides an analysis of the information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure as an infrastructure category and a firm-level analysis with data from Nigerian survey. An efficient infrastructure is important to enterprises for two main reasons. First, its absence compels optional provision, a situation that places added financial and material burden on firms. Second, inadequate national infrastructure makes networking among firms extremely difficult. ICT infrastructure may be divided broadly into three components: telecommunications, computing and connectivity infrastructure. Low price and high quality infrastructure supply would likely encourage the entry of a greater number of firms into the industry.
