Information communication technology and sustainable communities in Africa: The case of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. (Feb. 2009)

Sustainable development is largely seen as pertaining primarily to environmental issues and grassroots social development. This stereotype misses the reality that sustainable development and the information society are operationally interconnected. The two phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva (December 2003) and Tunis (November 2005) provide an excellent opportunity to integrate sustainable development principles and practices into the institutions and policy frameworks that are shaping the information society. While the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and WSIS Phase I brought these issues to international attention, Southern voices and visions are still notably lacking from the debate. As we move into the age of information it is critically important for us to consider the implications of ICT in Sustainable Development and vice-versa. This research undertaking looks at precisely this intersection with its primary focus on sustainable communities. Sustainable Communities development is an evolving discourse. The locally-owned or adapted knowledge of a community is essential for integrated sustainable development, and is becoming a key priority for development practitioners. The popularity of the concept of communities is growing, and so are ideas on how to support these communities with technologies and how these communities might use ICTs to support themselves. These issues are pertinent in assessing the real contribution of ICTs to sustainable development, and therefore merit a closer examination. The paper presents the findings from the study of 9 communities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The aim of the study was to explore how ICTs may contribute to the social sustainability of communities in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. The study grounds the understanding of ICT usage among indigenous communities and consumers in the reality of their everyday lives, in order to promote actions for sustainability.