Review of the legal and regulatory frameworks in the information and communications technology sector in a subset of African countries

The present report reviews the legal and regulatory framework for the information and telecommunications sector in five African countries, namely: Cameroon, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Morocco and Mozambique. Given that these countries are members of regional economic communities, it also includes a review of the legal and regulatory frameworks of those communities. The reason for including the regional economic communities and the African Union in this study is premised on the fact that national policies are in large measure shaped by decisions of their RECs and the African Union.There has been turmoil in the African telecommunications sector since the beginning of the 21st century driven by rapid advances in information and communications technology (ICT). This turmoil has resulted in the phasing out of government-owned telecommunications monopolies in all but a few African countries, in deregulation and increased complexity of the sector, and increase in competitiveness and in tangible benefits for the consumer. But it has also resulted in regulatory turmoil in some countries and in regulatory inefficiencies in practically all the countries on the continent.