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Information and Communication Technology
The ICT sector consists of manufacturing and services industries whose products capture, transmit or display data and information electronically It includes related activities of “Manufacturing”, “Wholesale and retail trade”, “Communications”, “Business services (such as call centres, software development, website development and hosting, multimedia, IT consulting and disaster recovery)” and “Education”.
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2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
Value added in the ICT sector |
Rs Bn |
6.8 |
7.7 |
8.7 |
10.5 |
Value added / GDP |
% |
5.0 |
5.1 |
5.4 |
5.7 |
No. of large* companies operational |
No. |
71 |
91 |
111 |
116 |
Employment in large enterprises |
No. |
5,560 |
6,240 |
7,640 |
8,180 |
- as a % of total employment |
% |
1.1 |
1.2 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
Investment in ITES/ BPO |
Rs Bn |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
* Large companies that is employing 10 or more persons
Value added in the ICT sector rose by 19.7 % from Rs 8.7 bn in 2005 to Rs 10.5 bn in 2006. Its contribution to GDP increased from 5.4 % in 2005 to 5.7 % in 2006. There were 116 large companies operational in 2006 employing 8,180 people compared to 111 companies in 2005 employing 5,513 people. Employment in the ICT sector to total employment stagnated at 1.5 % in 2005 and 2006.
According to the BOI, total investment in the ITES/ BPO sector rose from Rs 0.7 bn in 2005 to Rs 1.0 bn in 2006.
National ICT strategic Plan 2007-2011
According to the National ICT strategic Plan 2007-2011, the Government's Vision is to make ICT the fifth pillar of the Mauritian economy and to transform the country into a Regional ICT Hub. To realise this vision, measures in the following broad areas were recommended:
- Support measures by initiating appropriate legal, institutional and infrastructural changes, investing in long-term education, fostering a culture of security and trust in ICT, with effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
- Catalyse economic activity in critical sectors by promoting eBusiness adoption in different sectors of socio-economic activity.
- Accelerate ICT adoption in society by embracing electronic means of governance and by taking measures towards democratising ICT in society.
- Lead in the region through transforming itself into an ICT skills and expertise hub and emerge as a global point of reference for offshore services both in the ITS and in the ITES domains.
The following targets are associated with the ICT-linked economy by 2011.
Attributes |
Targets by 2011 |
ICT export services in Mauritius GDP |
7 % of GDP from export services through offshoring |
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Professionals in ICT employment |
Over 29,000 individuals employed in ICT sector |
At least 16,000 Mauritian nationals employed in ICT sector |
At least 90 % ICT graduates absorbed in ICT industry |
Transformation of Mauritius into a regional ICT hub |
MoUs with countries of the region |
13,000 people from outside Mauritius to be employed in ICT sector |
At least double the number of foreign investors for investment into ICT sector |
A regional centre of excellence for niches technology areas |
A technology test bed trials on emergent technologies |
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Inculcation of a Technology Temper |
At least 50 % applications for services available online are done online |
Quantitative targets for the following indicators: |
- Increased percentage of monthly income for internet usage
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- Government's increased prioritisation of ICT
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- Increased Government procurement of ICT
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- Increased number of households online
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- Reduction in Brain Drain
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- Increase Broadband penetration by 250,000
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Increased adoption and usage of ICT |
PC penetration increased by 20,000 households and 12,000 PCs in primary schools |
150 Public Internet Access Points across the island |
All primary, secondary schools networked |
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Knowledge Networking among citizens |
Triple the number of Internet hosts under ".mu" |
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Increased acceptance of ICT as a preferred career choice |
100 % increase in the enrolment at the tertiary level in ICT courses |
At least 20 % on year increase in enrolment at the tertiary levels |
More information can be obtained from:
Central Statistics Office: http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/cso
Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunications: http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/telcomit
National Computer Board: http://www.gov.mu/portal/sites/ncbnew/main.jsp
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