The 3 Reasons Why Kenya is Beating Nigeria in Internet Business Opportunities (Article and discussion)

1. Safaricom
It may not be the best mobile phone provider in Africa, but its certainly one of the most innovative and is pushing Internet access aggressively across the country with 3G data services and subsidized netbooks.

Nigeria may have more mobile phone players, and cheaper voice rates, but their 3G data services are no where near the quality and reach of Safaricom.

2. Seacom & Teams

The East African bandwidth bonanza cannot be underestimated. With two huge fiber optic cables landing in Kenya, and it serving as a backbone for Uganda and Rwanda, Kenyans now have an unprecedented position to drive Internet adoption across East Africa.

Nigeria's telcom sector is years behind. Yes, the Glo cable is coming, but with the current restrictive regulation, I bet it will still be cheaper for Nigerian companies to buy bandwidth microwaved over from Benin.

3. Kenya Power & Lighting

Say what you will about last year's blackout, KPLC is pretty reliable as a power company, especially when compared with its peers. And anything digital or Internet needs constant, reliable electrical power.

No one would call Nigeria's National Electric Power Authority anything but useless. Not when it generates a new national anthem on daily basis.

Rise Up Nigeria!

These may be the 3 reasons why Kenya is leading now, but don't think that they will always be ahead. Possicon and I both also agree that Nigeria could overtake Kenya at any time, if it focused, if Nigerians themselves, and Nigerian business were serious about tapping the Nigerian Internet goldmine.

May 2010 be the year Nigerians wake up - or risk getting passed by

Add your thoughts below or see additional thoughts and discussions here: http://www.ictworks.org/news/2010/03/15/3-reasons-why-kenya-beating-nigeria-internet-business-opportunities