On March 3rd, Mr. Wolfowitz toured the facility with BusyInternet's Managing Director, Ms. Estelle Akofio-Sowah. Ms Akofio-Sowah presented the services that BusyInternet provides, from internet access to intensive business advisory assistance through its business incubator.  Mr. Wolfowitz met with several customers, inquiring about how they were using these services.  Ms. Akofio-Sowah noted that "over 1,000 people visit BusyInternet daily including students doing online research, a growing number of local graphic designers developing websites, and people simply using the internet to communicate with friends and family locally and overseas." 

Mr. Wolfowitz also met several small business owners that are located within BusyInternet's business incubator.  Ms. Akofio-Sowah explained that, "We recognized that many of the businesses using our facility were requesting assistance beyond the basic services such as internet access, office space and printing and copying.  In turn, we developed our BusyIncubator with support from infoDev and have incubated over 25 companies, including Top-Up, which provides business registration services."

www.busyinternet.com

Internet Café

Mr. Wolfowitz's visit concluded with a discussion of the importance of creating a business environment that is conducive to private sector development.  Ms Akofio-Sowah mentioned that, "with the support of infoDev, BusyInternet, along with a business incubator in Uganda and South Africa, is helping develop an Africa regional network of business incubators.  This network aims to help business incubators learn from one another and to raise awareness for the challenges that business incubators and their clients face in expanding their activities." 

infoDev collaborates with IFC to replicate sustainable incubator models in Africa

Building on the experience of BusyInternet and other infoDev-supported business incubators in Africa, infoDev, in partnership with IFC, is evaluating existing business incubator models for replication in other African countries.  A feasibility study is now underway for Mozambique. The study addresses elements related to the design of a sustainable business incubator based on the market environment in Maputo.  The study will result in a public handbook on designing and implementing a sustainable business incubator and will inform potential IFC investments, as well as Government and development partner support for ICT-enabled private sector development. 

About infoDev's Business Incubator Initiative

infoDev supports a growing network of more than 60 business incubators in over 40 developing countries, including 10 countries in Africa. infoDev also undertakes research on incubators as tools for private sector development.  More information about infoDev's Incubator Initiative, along with video case studies of BusyInternet in Ghana and incubators in Brazil, India and Vietnam, is available at:  www.infodev.org/businessincubation

About BusyInternet

Established in Ghana in 2001, BusyInternet is the largest privately-owned and operated ICT center in Africa. With a unique mission to provide both commercial services and social development, BusyInternet has been hailed as a promising model for Africa by combining internet access, business support services, office space, training and business incubation in a single facility.  BusyInternet launched its business incubator program (BusyIncubator) to help small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in early 2005, with support from infoDev.