Imagine getting to work on a program that will bring internet access and digitally enabled services to 180 million people. Opportunities like these illustrate the meaningful role institutions like the World Bank, and teams across the institution like ours, can play in addressing urgent development challenges that can drastically improve people’s lives. In Eastern and Southern Africa, a new era of ambition is unfolding—one that aims big, acts fast, and includes everyone. The World Bank’s Inclusive Digitalization in Eastern and Southern Africa (IDEA) Program is putting speed, scale, and inclusion at the heart of regional digital transformation. Governments, regional communities, development partners, and the private sector are being called to go faster, go bigger, and work together.

The IDEA Program is a $2.48 billion commitment from the World Bank across the Eastern and Southern Africa region and the launch of the program in April brought together over 100 participants from countries in the region, as well as other regional economic communities and the private sector to mark this momentum.

The IDEA Program has also brought together our own teams at the World Bank in full team spirit: including colleagues leading engagements in the first group of IDEA countries that have already or are in the process of joining; colleagues from our global teams focused on gender and digital inclusion, research, and results; as well as colleagues working on the energy sector. Together, we will combine global analytics and best practices with pressing needs and priorities in countries across the region. We will look at important synergies across the digital and energy sectors, recognizing their inter-connected nature and the potential to amplify impact when leveraged together. This marks the beginning of a long-term regional platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and financing—turning digital opportunity into inclusive growth.

The Call to Accelerate Digitalization
Eastern and Southern Africa currently has one of the world’s slowest digitalization rates: only half the population can access high-speed internet, and fewer than a quarter use it. But that’s changing.

The first phase of the IDEA Program, with $780 million from the World Bank and $100 million from Agence Française de Développement (AFD) supports Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Malawi, aiming to connect over 50 million people. It also includes a $10 million grant to COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) for regional policy harmonization and knowledge sharing.

IDEA is built to scale up. Over the next eight years, 15 countries and regional institutions will collaborate to create a more integrated and inclusive digital economy. Digital transformation thrives when borders blur, markets integrate, and solutions serve millions. That’s our vision.

Inclusion at the Heart
This transformation isn’t for a privileged few. IDEA is about bringing everyone along, especially the most underserved—women, youth, and rural communities. Yet, major gaps remain for women, rural populations, people with disabilities, and vulnerable groups like refugees.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, women are 37% less likely than men to use mobile internet; in Malawi, only 3 women are online for every 10 men. IDEA has set ambitious goals, including ensuring at least half its beneficiaries are women.

COMESA plans to launch a regional digital inclusion action plan to help IDEA countries close the digital divide through adaptable strategies, model policies, and shared learning. The first IDEA countries—Angola, DRC, and Malawi—will implement initiatives like affordable pricing schemes for women, inclusive ID enrollment strategies, tailored digital skills and online safety training, and increased funding for women-led startups.

Through IDEA, the aim is to build an inclusive, resilient digital foundation. It’s digital inclusion reimagined—with dignity and agency for all.

The Energy-Digital Nexus: Unlocking Twin Transitions for Increased Impact
A core innovation of the program is its recognition that electricity and internet access must go hand in hand. In Eastern and Southern Africa, unreliable power continues to hinder digital connectivity. Rather than treating energy and digital development as separate issues, the program promotes a coordinated approach that amplifies impact and optimizes resources.

This need for integration was underscored during our launch event—several presentations were disrupted by power cuts. When attendees were asked whether they coordinate with energy counterparts, the overwhelming response was no. This highlights a regional challenge: despite clear interdependencies, digital and energy sectors still operate in silos.

A joint, data-driven strategy is essential to address the region’s overlapping infrastructure needs. Instead of planning digital and energy investments separately, countries can use shared geospatial data to target areas where combined access would have the most impact. Through IDEA, COMESA will support this process through common tools and data analytics on electricity, connectivity, population, and climate risk—helping governments prioritize infrastructure that is inclusive, cost-effective, and resilient.

Regionally, COMESA is leveraging both IDEA and the ASCENT Program to bridge institutional gaps, foster cross-border collaboration, and develop unified strategies. Together, these programs can help governments coordinate better, plan smarter, and deliver faster. Realizing this vision will require strong leadership and active collaboration between the two sectors, including across governments in countries and World Bank departments. But with every step, we move closer to a future where digital transformation and resilience go hand in hand—turning the promise of IDEA into action for Eastern and Southern Africa’s digital future.