Appropriation of mobile phones in the rural African societies: Case study of the Fulani pastoralists in Northern Benin.

The article focuses on analyzing the appropriation of mobile phones among Fulani pastoralists in Northern Benin using a multidimensional Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Surveying 380 herders, the study identifies two main functions of mobile phone use: communicative (e.g., maintaining social bonds, resolving conflicts, and economic interactions with clients) and distractive (e.g., listening to music and watching videos, often without SIM cards). Results show that perceived usefulness for bonding and linking social relations, economic relations with clients, and perceived ease of access positively influence the frequency of mobile phone calls, while perceived usefulness for hobbies negatively affects call frequency. The study highlights implications for tailored mobile phone-based livestock advisory services and calls for improved infrastructure and targeted outreach by mobile network operators and policymakers to enhance technology adoption in remote pastoral communities.