The Role of Transport, ICT and Power Infrastructure in the Ethiopian Economy

Abstract

Infrastructure development plays an important role in reducing poverty, assuring food security and sustainable development of a country. One of the key challenges hindering the economic growth of developing countries is the lack of proper transport, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and energy sector infrastructures. This research aims to examine the importance of transport, ICT and power sector in Ethiopia’s economic growth and identify the main challenges these sectors have been facing based on data obtained from different secondary sources such as websites of the World Bank and Trading Economics, official reports, and published works. Descriptive statistical analysis was implemented to describe the secondary data obtained, while graphs, tables, and charts were used to visualise the results. Despite the difficulties in establishing and sustaining necessary infrastructure, research indicates that the growth of Ethiopia’s economy is largely attributed to infrastructure development. Furthermore, year after year, progress has been made in each sector of development, though there are still obstacles to overcome. Poor quality of road, transport and ICT infrastructure have been key factors of poor development in the country. There is an imbalance between the power needed and the available power. Given Ethiopia’s abundance of resources, the country must continue to prioritise infrastructure development.

Keywords

• road infrastructure, air infrastructure, transport, electricity, power, economic growth, Ethiopia, regional development, ICT, economic development