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Top1. Introduction
About 66% of the world’s population have access to the internet (ITU, 2022). In developing countries, some consumers access internet using mobile devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets) because mobile devices are easy to use and may not require electricity in their households. The majority of consumers use internet data packages for mobile devices to communicate, search or share information and access online services (Inegbedion, 2020; Moyo & Munoriyarwa, 2021; Stork, Esselaar & Chair, 2017). Malawi is an example of a developing country in Africa where internet access is problematic and universal access to the internet is yet to be achieved. The country has an internet teledensity of 9.9% leaving a large part of the population not connected to the internet and unbale to access online services (ITU, 2022). One of the inhibiting factors of internet access is affordability (del Portillo, Eiskowitz, Crawley & Cameron, 2021). In this context, affordability is the ability of individuals or households to pay for internet services in relation to their disposable income (Goggin, 2014). Recent media reports indicate that Malawi is among countries in Africa with high cost of internet data (UK Cable, 2022).
International organisations, non-government organisations, government departments, private sector organisations and internet users in Malawi engage in dialogue and exchange regarding affordability of internet data. While the debates on internet affordability have become popular among internet users, there are few but growing academic studies mention in passing the phenomenon (e.g. Banda, 2022; Bichler, 2010; Chaputula, 2012; Makoza, 2017). To the knowledge of the author, studies on how dialogue and exchanges among organisations and consumers influence government strategies on reduction of the cost of internet data in Malawi are missing in literature. Against this discussion, this study aims to address part of this knowledge gap. The study was guided by the research question:
To answer this question, the study used Transnational advocacy networks theory (Keck & Sikkink, 1998). The theory was useful in understanding the composition of networks, approaches used to exchange of information and different types of political strategies that stakeholders used to influence government strategies and regulations on internet affordability (Goggin, 2014; Makoza & Chigona, 2016; Mansell, 2010). This was important so that lessons could be learnt, and unresolved issues brought to the attention of stakeholders e.g. policymakers, telecommunications regulators, academics, services providers and consumers.
The rest of the paper is presented as follows. Section 2 summarises the background of the study. Section 3 discusses the theory guiding the study. Section 4 presents research methodology used in the study. Section 5 summarises research findings. Section 6 discusses the research findings followed by conclusions drawn from the study.