Partnership for Digital Access in Africa
The Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA) was created in 2024 to bring together private and public sector leaders from Africa, the United States, and other parts of the world to bridge Africa’s digital divide.
PDAA has set an ambitious goal to double the number of people connected to and meaningfully using the internet in Africa from 40% to 80%, connect one billion people by 2030, and increase connectivity for women and girls from 30% to 80%.
PDAA Core Pillars
The initiative has three core pillars:
- Expansion of affordable internet and broadband services to as many Africans as possible.
- Lower cost devices to ensure an equitable gender ratio of those who access devices with the goal of increasing connectivity for women and girls in Africa.
- Enhancement of digital skills through upskilling of millions of Africans to effectively and efficiently use digital technology to maximize their chances of meaningful employment.
PDAA Partners
Partners currently include the International Finance Corporation, Smart Africa, America’s Frontier Fund, African Leadership Group, LifeHikes, SpaceX, HMD Global, Nokia and the Mastercard Foundation. This partnership will contribute to the Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy, which seeks to enable 30 million young men and women in Africa to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. As a member of PDAA, the Foundation will lead the pillar on the enhancement of Digital Skills.