Despite significant investments in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, only 38% of the populations were online in 2024. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) highlighted this stark reality, noting that Africa ranked lowest globally in terms of internet usage last year, compared to the global average of 68%. The latest “State of Digital Development in Africa” report by the ITU painted a sobering picture of the continent’s digital divide despite a growing appetite for internet connectivity.
This means that 62% of Africa’s 1.54 billion population currently lacks internet access. In Nigeria, which boasts one of the largest mobile connectivity networks on the continent, there were 138.7 million mobile connections as of December 2024 according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Broadband penetration in the country stood at 44.43% during the same period.
However, 42% of the country’s connectivity remains on 2G, with 5G connections accounting for only 2.4%. The ITU noted that although internet adoption in Africa has been rising, millions remain offline due to high service costs, digital illiteracy, and a lack of reliable infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. Affordability remains a major hurdle.
In 2024, the median price of an entry-level mobile broadband plan (2GB per month) was 4.2% of gross national income (GNI) per capita, down slightly from 4.6% in 2023. Despite this reduction, it remains more than double the UN Broadband Commission’s affordability target of 2%, and the highest of any ITU region. Fixed broadband is even less affordable, with a median price of 15% of GNI per capita.
Africa’s persistent digital divide
These high costs hit low-income groups the hardest and exacerbate digital inequality across the continent. Mobile networks are the primary means of internet access in Africa, with mobile broadband covering 86% of the population as of 2024.
However, 14% remain completely unserved, a figure that rises to 25% in rural areas. While 70% of the population has access to 4G, around 16% still rely on slower 3G networks. Meanwhile, 5G coverage is minimal, reaching just 11% of the population, mostly in select urban areas.
Africa’s digital revolution is driven by young, urban populations, leaving older adults and rural dwellers behind. The urban-rural divide is especially pronounced, with internet usage in cities at 57% in 2024, compared to just 23% in rural areas – the widest gap among all ITU regions. This disparity is compounded by unequal infrastructure investment, as 4G and 5G rollouts prioritize urban areas, leaving rural regions with older and slower networks.
The ITU emphasized the need for targeted policies and infrastructure investments to close this digital gap. On the policy front, many African nations have updated their ICT regulatory frameworks to create more competitive and investment-friendly environments. However, only 18% of African countries have reached the most advanced level of ICT regulation (G4), well below the global average of 38%.
The ITU warned that digital transformation cannot succeed without robust digital governance and called for improved coordination on digital identity, digital skills, cross-sector policies, alongside stronger efforts in cybersecurity and data protection.
Image Credits: Photo by Hu Chen on Unsplash
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
