CLICK TO LISTEN Global Business - Part 1 Global Business - Part 2

Global Business takes a look at examples of Ghana and Kenya, where governments are pinning their hopes on high economic growth using the internet, mobile phone telephony and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).

BBC's Peter Day visited Ghana and Kenya in a new two-part series of Global Business in a two part feature programme.

The Ghanaian government is putting great emphasis on information technology as a growth agent. Companies in the USA are tentatively starting to outsource their basic data processing work to Ghana.

This is of course low-grade work, but Ghana's entrepreneurs have their eyes on the sort of call centre work currently being done in India.

Also in Ghana Peter hears how, up to the year 2000, only 400,000 people had telephone lines - but thanks to the mobile, that figure has doubled in 2001, and in 2004 a million mobile phone users were recorded. The same steep take-up is also expected this year.

Mobile phone use is also on the up in Kenya. Peter examines what this mobile phone use means for business and society, and discovers new ways of using the technology in a business environment.

CLICK TO LISTEN Information is power

‘Information is power’ is a line you often hear from Africans working in the world of ICT (Information Communication Technology) and mobile phone telephony is changing the way many Africans live and work.

But before the internet can empower people they have a lot on their plate.

Like gettting cheaper access to bandwidth, creating a workforce at ease with new technology, and in some cases bringing ICT to the attention of governments and getting it on to their list of priorities.

In spite of the difficulties of the digital divide many business people are optimistic that ICT can help Africa move forward. Peter Day talks to some of the influential business people in Kenya and Ghana who are narrowing the digital divide.

CLICK TO LISTEN Informal Economy

Informal economy is what keeps many African countries going. How does it work, what benefits does it bring, and can it be incorporated in to the formal economy?

And what role does Information Communication Technology (the internet, the mobile phone) have to play? Global Business traveled to Kenya to find out.

CLICK TO LISTEN Assignment

Mark Doyle reports from Zambia, for Assignment, on the impact of trade liberalisation. A few years ago, the country opened its markets to international competition and investment - who have been the winners and losers from this decision.