Millions left behind as digital inclusion funding fails to reach those who need it most

The study, published in the Management and Organization Review, draws on evidence from 122 studies across the Global South which show that access to mobile networks, affordable internet and digital skills is improving yet whole communities are still excluded from education, finance and basic services because governments, businesses and international organisations continue to act in isolation. 

The research team found that the biggest obstacle is fragmentation of effort, with policies, technologies and training programmes happening in parallel but rarely in partnership. This leaves gaps in infrastructure, affordability and institutional capacity that stop digital services reaching marginalised groups, from rural communities to indigenous populations. 

The review identifies five major stakeholder groups shaping digital inclusion across the Global South, including government bodies, private sector companies, civil society organisations, international organisations and end users. Each group takes important action, but the impact of these actions depends almost entirely on whether they are coordinated. 

Examples include Pakistan, where universities and government departments face similar connectivity challenges yet operate without a shared strategy. In Indonesia, rural digital services reach villages but remain disconnected from wider development. In Malaysia, tailored community programmes improve indigenous connectivity, but benefits remain limited to specific regions rather than reaching nationwide systems. ,

The study also highlights that meaningful inclusion requires approaches that are culturally relevant and sensitive to gender inequalities, indigenous knowledge and language barriers. Successful examples emerged where local communities were involved in designing solutions, particularly in Malaysia, China, and Ghana, where interventions improved social connectedness, rural uptake, financial access and women’s participation.