04 September 2024
Since 1 September, Mauritians aged 18 to 25 have had free access to mobile internet under a government initiative aims to facilitate their access to information, education and various other online opportunities. Nearly 100,000 people are targeted.
Eligible youth will have to register on a platform set up by the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA). Each beneficiary will have a renewable monthly package of 200GB with one of the three telecom operators, MyT, Emtel or Chili. They will be able to use 4G or 5G via 350 Wi-Fi hotspots already installed across the country.
This initiative is part of the actions undertaken by the Mauritian government to promote a knowledge-based economy and prepare the country's digital future.
Through free access to the internet, young Mauritians will be able to strengthen their skills in order to prepare themselves for the job market. According to the World Bank, there will be 230 million digital jobs in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. The Bretton Woods institution specifies that these jobs will require intermediate or advanced digital skills, as well as basic financial and digital literacy for all.
