The dark continent

As we continue to embrace digital technology throughout the Western world, we oftentimes forget that not everyone in the world is as privileged as we are. It may come as a surprise to many people to learn that approximately 75% of the continent of Africa, or about 550 million people, are without electricity. This sobering fact is hard to stomach in a day and age in which almost 2 billion people worldwide own a Smartphone, but it's the truth. It may not be politically correct to refer to Africa as 'the dark continent', but in view of the fact that is the least well lit of all the continents, it is certainly scientifically correct to do so. The awful irony is that some of the rare earth metals used to manufacture Smartphones actually come from Africa. 
While we continue on our path to make the web universally available to citizens of our planet, it is worth bearing in mind that we need to avoid putting the cart before the horse. Before establishing internet connectivity throughout Africa, we first of all need to get an electricity infrastructure in place. 
The internet as everyone knows, is an absolute juggernaut in terms of electricity consumption. To put things in perspective, the Netherlands uses as much electricity in one year as the entire continent of Africa uses in one year. If the world is to become truly interconnected with the Internet of Things, electricity in Africa will require urgent attention. The rise of renewable energy as a viable alternative to fossil fuels marks a positive change in direction with regard to meeting our future energy needs. Some have suggested the idea of building solar (photo-voltaic) power stations in the Sahara desert in order to meet Africa's energy needs. While an admirable initiative, this would require extensive planning and investment in order to make it happen. Whatever the most feasible solution is, it is something that needs to be at the top of the agenda rather than the bottom.