The Case of M-Business Operators in Ghana

The search for improved livelihoods and the need to use innovative ways to better socio- economic conditions of excluded people living in urban settlements is not only intensifying but also rising. How telecommunication and information technological innovations, especially mobile phones, can contribute to livelihoods improvement is receiving attention. In developing and transitional economies, particularly in the global South, mobile phone is creating new livelihood opportunities and social safety shields for economically vulnerable people. In these economies, mobile phone is extensively utilized as a means of social networking, entertainment and communication rather than a strategic technological innovation to enhance livelihoods. The emerging evidences are revealing that effective use of mobile phone has tremendous developmental values and the possibilities to reduce extreme poverty and hunger beyond its conventional uses.

In addition to enhancing livelihoods and quality of human lives, mobile phone is increasingly becoming a powerful tool for advancing youth development, women empowerment, increased social cohesion and reliable employment creation. Mobile phone now places plenty food on the table three times more than before and helps many to escape severe socio-economic ills.

However, these huge opportunities are not always recognised in development policies and programmes (Boateng and Duncombe, 2009). This tends to present complex challenges for development advancement. The primary aim of this study is to investigate and provide contemporary insights and understanding of how the mobile phone is playing a critical role in improving lives in urban Accra, in particular, among the operators of the mobile phone business refers to in this text as m-business . In the early stages of the introduction of mobile phone in Ghana, the m-business was popularly called ‘space to space’. Some characteristic features of a typical m-business are that it entails initial financial capital base of less than $350.00, require limited operational space, and is operated by only one person. For the purpose of this investigation, we chose Kwame Nkrumah Circle [a busy and highly trafficked business district with a roundabout in the road] in Ghana’s capital city, Accra as the main location for the interviews. Nine in-depth interviews were conducted including five men and four women dotted around Circle. The key methods we applied during the interviews included audio recording, digital photography and close interactions with the m-business operators. The m-business life stories of the interviewees are presented below.

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Boateng, R. and Doe, S.S. (2010). Enhancing Urban Livelihoods through Mobile Phones – The Case of M-Business Operators in Ghana, PC Tech Magazine’s Conversations on Technology, Business and Society, Issue 6, pp. 34-39.