The next digital divide: From connectivity to capability

**PASCAL HAINGURA **

For nearly three decades, discussions about the digital divide focused on one central challenge, which is access. The global objective was clear.

Communities without telecommunications infrastructure needed to be connected to the Internet so they could participate in the emerging digital society.

Governments, regulators, network operators and development institutions invested heavily in expanding broadband networks, improving mobile coverage and reducing the cost of communications services.

This effort delivered significant progress across many parts of the world, including Namibia. Today, more people than ever before have access to mobile broadband, fibre networks and digital services.

Yet as technology evolves, a new question is emerging. Is connectivity alone enough to ensure meaningful participation in the digital economy?

Increasingly, the answer is no.

While internet access remains essential, it is no longer the sole indicator of digital inclusion. The next digital divide is not simply about who is connected and who is disconnected.

It is about who possesses the capability to use technology productively and who does not.

Consider two individuals with identical internet connections. One uses the internet primarily for communication and entertainment.

The other uses the same connection to access cloud-based tools, develop software applications, analyse data, participate in online learning and create digital products for international markets.

While both individuals are connected, their ability to benefit from technology differs significantly.

The same principle applies to businesses, schools and even nations.

A company may have high-speed connectivity but lack the expertise required to digitise operations or implement artificial intelligence solutions.

A school may enjoy Internet access but have limited devices, insufficiently trained educators or inadequate digital learning content.

A country may have respectable broadband coverage but lack the technical workforce, computing resources and research capabilities required to compete in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.

These differences highlight a critical reality. Connectivity provides access to the digital world, but capability determines what can be achieved within it.

The rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made this distinction even more visible.

AI depends not only on connectivity but also on access to computing resources, cloud platforms, quality data, technical expertise and a workforce capable of applying these technologies effectively.

Without these supporting capabilities, access to advanced technology may produce only limited benefits.

The digital economy increasingly rewards those who can create, innovate and adapt technology rather than merely consume it.

This shift requires a broader understanding of digital development. Traditional measures such as broadband penetration and network coverage remain important, but they are no longer sufficient on their own.

Policymakers and institutions must also examine how effectively people and organisations use digital infrastructure to generate economic and social value.

The conversation must therefore evolve from connectivity to capability.

This does not diminish the importance of universal access. In Namibia, challenges relating to affordability, quality of service, devices and digital literacy remain important areas of focus.

Expanding reliable, affordable and meaningful connectivity must continue. However, investments in infrastructure must increasingly be accompanied by investments in people, knowledge and institutional capacity.

As digital technologies become more sophisticated, the true measure of digital inclusion will not simply be whether citizens can connect to the internet.

It will be whether they can use technology to solve problems, improve productivity, develop new services and participate meaningfully in the modern economy.

The first digital divide was about gaining access to information networks. The emerging digital divide is about possessing the knowledge, skills and resources needed to transform access into opportunity.

Countries that recognise this shift early will be better positioned to compete, innovate and create sustainable economic growth in the digital age.

*Pascal Haingura is the executive of engineering and technical services at the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN)