Sub-Saharan Africa today stands at a critical crossroads in its digital transformation. A new GSMA report (State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025) reveals a striking paradox: while mobile broadband infrastructure is rapidly expanding across the continent, Sub-Saharan Africa still records the world’s lowest rates of mobile internet use. The disconnect is not one of coverage, but of access. The majority of Africans live within range of mobile broadband networks, yet the barriers to getting online—chief among them affordability—remain prohibitively high.
This paradox matters not just for Africa, but for the world. With the continent’s population projected to double to 2.5 billion by 2050, and with the youngest demographic profile globally, Africa’s ability to bridge its digital divide will play a decisive role in shaping global growth, innovation, and inclusion.
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The Global Usage Gap and Africa’s Position
Globally, 3.1 billion people live in areas with network coverage but remain offline—a crisis of “usage” rather than infrastructure. In contrast, only 300 million people worldwide still lack network coverage altogether. This means that infrastructure is no longer the central bottleneck; access and adoption are.
Sub-Saharan Africa exemplifies this crisis most acutely. While countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa boast extensive 3G, 4G, and even 5G rollout, usage remains disproportionately low. The GSMA estimates that the cost of an entry-level internet-enabled handset for the poorest 20% of Sub-Saharan Africans amounts to 87% of their monthly income. In comparison, in South Asia, the figure is closer to 16%, while in Latin America, it is in the single digits.
This affordability barrier results in an uneven digital reality. Even those who manage to get online often do so with older 3G devices or feature phones—60% of mobile internet users in Sub-Saharan Africa still rely on outdated technology, restricting access to high-speed services, apps, and digital platforms that increasingly power modern economies.
Comparative Lessons from Across Africa
The disparities within Africa itself tell a story of uneven progress.
• Kenya has leveraged mobile money (notably M-Pesa) to spur internet adoption by embedding digital access into financial life. Yet despite being a continental leader in fintech, its mobile internet adoption still lags behind middle-income peers outside Africa.
• Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, has robust infrastructure rollout but struggles with device affordability and high data costs, keeping millions offline despite network presence.
• South Africa fares better in usage rates due to higher income levels and more affordable device financing, but inequality still leaves rural and low-income communities disconnected.
• Rwanda has pursued an ambitious government-led “Digital First” agenda, making strides in literacy and local content creation, showing how policy intervention can mitigate barriers.
These differences illustrate that while infrastructure is foundational, policy frameworks, affordability schemes, and literacy programs ultimately determine whether citizens can actually cross the digital threshold.
Why It Matters for Africa—and the World
The cost of inaction is staggering. Closing the usage gap could unlock an additional $3.5 trillion in global GDP by 2030. For low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), reducing the gender gap in mobile internet access alone could generate another $1.3 trillion in economic output. Africa’s share of this potential is immense, given its scale and demographic momentum.
Connectivity is more than a technological issue; it is tied to Africa’s continental aspirations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Digital access underpins e-commerce, cross-border trade, logistics, and digital payments—the arteries of a modern integrated economy. Without widespread internet adoption, Africa risks reinforcing structural inequalities and remaining a consumer rather than a creator in the global digital economy.
Furthermore, connectivity is central to Africa’s global prominence. As major powers—from the U.S. to China to India—court Africa with digital partnerships, the continent’s ability to negotiate equitable deals will hinge on its progress in bridging its usage gap. The digital divide is not just a domestic issue; it is geopolitical.
Pathways Forward: Bridging the Usage Gap
The GSMA’s report outlines key steps that Africa must take to translate infrastructure into usage:
1. Lowering Device and Data Costs: Affordable smartphones—ideally in the $30 range—could bring internet access within reach of 1.6 billion people globally, including hundreds of millions in Africa. Flexible financing models, subsidies, and local manufacturing could accelerate this shift.
2. Investing in Digital Literacy: Beyond affordability, many first-time users lack the confidence or knowledge to use the internet safely. Community-based training, particularly targeting women and rural populations, is vital.
3. Fostering Local Content: The utility of the internet rises when users can access services in their own language and tailored to daily life. African tech ecosystems should focus on creating apps and platforms that speak directly to local realities—from agriculture to education to entertainment.
4. Ensuring Trust and Safety Online: Combatting scams, fraud, and misinformation is essential to encouraging first-time users to embrace digital services. Building safer online environments will deepen adoption and retention.
Africa’s Digital Future at Stake
Sub-Saharan Africa’s digital paradox underscores a pressing truth: coverage does not equal connectivity. Without addressing affordability, literacy, and trust, Africa risks building impressive digital highways that few can travel. Yet within this crisis lies immense opportunity.
If Africa can bridge its usage gap, it will not only accelerate its own economic and social development but also cement its place as a central player in the global digital economy. With the youngest population in the world and a vast, untapped market, Africa’s digital rise could define the next chapter of global connectivity.
The continent’s challenge is not whether it will be connected, but how fast and how inclusively. That pace—and inclusivity—will determine Africa’s digital destiny.
