Factors Affecting the Use of ICT Services in Ethiopia: The Case of Illubabor Zone - Oromia Regional State

Introduction

Information Communication Technology (ICT) is basically about using technology for information process and communication business. Its application ranges from collecting to disseminating or receiving information from one place to another electronically. The gathered information will be stored, retrieved, processed, and analyzed before it is communicated using ICT devices (Adigwe, 2012). In this study, ICT is considered as an electronic device that can be utilized by people to enhance or improve the administrative or overall office activities.

Nowadays, the prospective of ICT to promote overwhelming growth in the economy and reduction of poverty has got the attention of developing countries. The state of ICT access and usage in a particular country or region show both its social and economic development (Morrar, Abdeljawad, Jabr, Kisa, & Younis, 2019). As long as ICT presents opportunities for economic and social development, devising ICT policy and strategies, allocating the proper amount of budget and resource, creating a partnership with stakeholders and establishing suitable environment should be a primary duty and responsibility of a state. Governments especially the developing ones are often cash-strapped or have a multitude of other shortfalls which impact ICT development. In this case, establishing a network or partnership with private industry where some of the costs are shared along with the risks in improving the situation will be the best alternative solution. In this regard, it is essential to consider the role and contribution of NGOs in promoting ICT services (Shava & Maramura, 2016).

In Ethiopia, ICT development has become one of the priorities and key driver of the government for the socio-economic growth and transformation since the last decade (Report from Ethiopian Ministry). According to the report from the ministry of communication and information technology, the statistics about Ethiopian communication sector until June 2017 are shown in Table 1. The estimated population of the country in the same year was about 105.0 million.