This book is an ambitious 35 year history of the impact of mobile and internet on Sub-Saharan Africa. It is arguably the biggest social and economic story to come out of the continent in the last two decades.

1. Africa 2.0 – Inside a
Continent’s
Communications Revolution
(Manchester University
Press)
Author: Russell Southwood,
CEO, Balancing Act

2. What is the book about?
Africa 2.0 – Inside a Continent’s
Communications Revolution is an
ambitious 35 year history of the impact of
mobile and internet on Sub- Saharan
Africa. It is arguably the biggest social and
economic story to come out of the continent
in the last two decades.

3. What’s it based on?
 137 interviews with people who were there, specifically for this
book.
 Over 1,500 original interviews and articles in Balancing Act’s e-
letters and 1,300 video interviews from its two YouTube
channels.
 A careful reading of materials from areas as diverse as
economics, business studies, development studies, history,
anthropology, ethnography, sociology, psychology, politics and
cultural studies.
 It refers to 43 of the 49 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, 27 of
which have been visited by the author in some research
capacity.

4. Chapters in the book
Chapters cover: the rise of mobile calling;
bandwidth as the digital economy's fuel; mobile
internet, handsets and apps; mobile money;
African digital life; digital's impact on development;
industry corruption; start-ups addressing deep
market challenges and doing complexity: making
sense of what happened.

5. What they say about it - 1
 Tayo Akinyemi, The Trajectory Africa:” There are very few
people who observed the evolution of mobile and internet
tech in Africa longer and with more attention.”
 Alberto Leny, Writer and Editor: “A welcome and long-
awaited addition of literature on the vibrant mobile and
internet industry in Africa…”
 Jinmi O, Global Connectivity Program Manager: ““…your
work has added so much value to the industry and the sector
for decades. More grease…”
 Charley Lewis, Acting Chairperson, ICASA: “…an important
book by someone who was pretty much there from day 1…”

6. What they say about it - 2
 Gemma Ware, Africa Report: “Southwood is well-placed to write
this history. As CEO of Balancing Act, a consultancy and
research organisation, he’s been a close observer of the African
telecoms, internet, and media industries for more than two
decades.”
 Richard Rathbone, former Professor of History, SOAS,
University of London: “You thoroughly convinced me that the
world you so clearly historicize is a brave new world in which
knowledge really is power and is a world in which Africans are at
long last able to capitalize on their techy and economic skills.
The rapidity of all of this shocked me even if I didn't really
understand just how amazing it was…”
 Willie Currie, author and ex-regulator: “I’m enjoying your
approach very much, with great anecdotes, careful explanations
and a light touch to a technical subject. It’s also helping me think
about the last thirty odd years and how incredible the African
Communications Revolution has been, even if there’s still some
way to go. One tends to take for granted now, how extraordinary
it was and is.”

7. How to buy it
 You can order it on the link below:
https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526154828/afri
ca-2-0/ There's a 15% discount for Balancing Act Slideshare
followers. Just enter the following code before checkout:
OTH892
 The e-version is available on the link
below: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Africa-2-0-continents-
communications-revolution-
ebook/dp/B0B3XLFF89/ref=sr_1_1?crid=66U6ZDU73D2M&k
eywords=africa+2.0+inside+a+continent%27s+communicatio
ns+revolution&qid=1659023345&

8. The book ends with…
“What has transpired up to now might best
be described as the ‘end of the
beginning’…Sub-Saharan Africa’s digital
future could continue to transform the
assumptions about what Africans can do,
and seems to open out a very different
future for the continent.”