Lise Hagan, research manager: software & IT services: Africa at IDC, expects the appetite for ICT in Sub-Saharan Africa to increase strongly in 2013, driven by growing economies like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Angola. While there’s inconsistent growth across different countries, African ICT markets, excluding South Africa, are expected to grow significantly.

“Major economies such as Nigeria and Kenya contributed $3.82 million in 2012 and will grow to $4.94 million by 2017. South Africa still remains the powerhouse of the continent by contributing $13.24 million or 46.5 percent of the total market in 2012, even with market inhibitors such as economic uncertainty and government spending cuts,” she writes.

Hagan notes that the relatively weak South African economy and an increasingly crowded and competitive domestic market will encourage more established local organisations and ICT services providers to seek opportunities elsewhere in Africa. “In order to go to market quickly, investments and efforts in creating stronger partner ecosystems in these markets will be inevitable.”