Across the world, digital transformation is reshaping how societies learn and work. Education is no exception; in fact, it is among the sectors where the need for digitalisation is most urgent. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed over 1.6 billion learners globally out of physical classrooms. In response, high-income countries swiftly expanded remote learning platforms, AI-driven tutoring systems, and digital content delivery. But in low- and middle-income regions, particularly in Africa, poor connectivity and underdeveloped infrastructure exposed a much deeper educational inequality.
Today, Only 35% of people in developing nations have access to the internet compared to over 80% in the developed world. Raising access to 75% would boost the developing world’s collective GDP by $2 trillion and create 140 million new jobs. This means that digital learning is expanding, but not equally. The global conversation is no longer just about innovation; it is now about equitable access to technology in education.
The wave of digital transformation reshaping global industries has reached the education sector, and in Africa, it is needed with particular urgency. With traditional learning systems struggling to expand at the same pace as population growth, digital tools offer a critical opportunity to close long-standing gaps.
Africa holds the distinction of being the youngest continent globally, with approximately 70% of its sub-Saharan population under the age of 30. Demographic projections indicate that by 2055, the global population will climb to 10 billion, with 95% of this increase occurring in low- and middle-income nations. Africa alone is expected to contribute 57% of that growth, equating to nearly 1.4 billion additional people. By 2050, more than 60% of Africans will be under 25, and the region will have the world’s largest concentration of working-age youth, adding an estimated 22 million new entrants into the labour market each year.
These figures represent more than just statistics, they reflect a future defined by possibility. However, without adequate access to education, that potential risks being lost. At present, over 98 million children in sub-Saharan Africa are out of school. The conventional education system, often constrained by overcrowded classrooms, limited teaching staff, and uniform curricula cannot keep up with the region’s surging educational demand. It is a structure under pressure, ill-equipped to serve the volume and diversity of learners emerging across the continent.
In this context, digital education has become essential, not as an enhancement, but as a foundation for scaling inclusive learning. From mobile-based platforms and online courses to virtual classrooms, digital tools are making education more accessible, particularly in remote and underserved areas. Increasingly, learners are connecting to lessons through smartphones, accessing quality content that was once out of reach, and building skills needed in a fast-changing global economy.
Africa’s e-learning sector is growing at a rapid pace. In 2024, it was valued at USD 3.4 billion and is projected to reach USD 7.7 billion by 2033, according to IMARC Group. East Africa alone accounted for USD 374 million in 2024 and is expected to grow annually by 24.4%.
Across the continent, various governments and private innovators are leading efforts to mainstream digital education. In Kenya, the Digital Literacy Programme has introduced tablets and laptops into public schools. Rwanda has made strides through its Smart Classroom initiative, bringing computers and internet connectivity to thousands of schools. In Nigeria, companies like uLesson and AltSchool are developing curriculum-aligned digital platforms tailored to West African exam standards.
These developments reflect a growing recognition that educational access must move beyond physical infrastructure and embrace scalable, tech-driven solutions.
Infrastructure Inequality and Digital Exclusion
Despite the market growth, significant challenges persist. Only 43% of Africans have access to the internet as of 2024, and fixed broadband penetration is below 1%. In Ethiopia, internet penetration stands at just 19%. In South Africa, although digital uptake is relatively higher, rural communities experience internet speeds up to 29% slower than urban centres.
Affordability is another pressing barrier. Research ICT Africa reported in 2023 that some low-income households spend nearly a third of their monthly earnings on internet access, when available. These cost burdens, combined with unreliable connectivity, mean that digital learning remains inaccessible to many rural learners, particularly girls, displaced populations, and children in conflict-affected regions.
Local Innovation with Real Impact
In 2025, a pilot project tested the use of AI chatbots to support 469 teachers in Sierra Leone. Delivered via basic messaging apps, the tool required 87% less data than traditional search engines and offered localised, curriculum-aligned responses. Teachers rated it more effective than existing resources, and it significantly improved lesson preparation in schools with limited training and support.
Established in Nigeria in 2023, Tech Herfrica has expanded to six African countries, aiming to enhance digital and financial literacy for rural women and girls. The initiative provides internet-enabled devices and structured digital skills training. Beneficiaries have reported a 50% increase in household income and greater educational participation for girls in regions traditionally marginalised from mainstream schooling.
Policy Gaps and Structural Challenges
While these initiatives are promising, Africa’s broader digital education ecosystem remains fragmented. Many countries lack coherent national EdTech strategies. Where policies do exist, they often focus on procurement rather than implementation, with minimal investment in teacher training, infrastructure maintenance, or content development in local languages.
A 2024 analysis by NORRAG observed that many donor-led programmes measure success by the number of devices distributed or applications installed, rather than tracking long-term learning outcomes. Furthermore, educational technologies developed in Europe or North America often do not account for Africa’s multilingual environments, socio-cultural dynamics, or infrastructure realities.
Africa’s shift toward digital learning is aligned with global efforts to reform and expand access to education. UNESCO’s Futures of Education report, launched in 2021, advocates for inclusive and sustainable learning systems that incorporate digital technologies responsibly. The World Bank’s EdTech Strategy, released in 2020, outlines three key pillars: focusing on learning outcomes, building robust ecosystems, and ensuring equity and inclusion.
At the continental level, the African Union’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2016–2025) emphasises the importance of ICT in transforming education and training systems. But these frameworks can only be effective if local governments and education stakeholders commit to context-based planning, budgetary support, and sustained implementation.
Building a Fairer Future Through Technology
Africa’s future rests heavily on the quality and reach of its education systems. The continent’s youth population can be an asset or a liability, depending on how well it is prepared for the demands of the modern world. Digital education provides a practical pathway to expand learning access, improve quality, and prepare millions of young Africans for the global economy.
But the promise of EdTech will remain incomplete unless it is made inclusive, affordable, and locally relevant. Policymakers must move beyond pilot projects and short-term programmes toward long-term strategies rooted in national priorities. Teachers must be empowered, infrastructure must be improved, and local communities must be involved in shaping solutions that work for them.
If approached with the seriousness it requires, EdTech can become one of the most transformative tools for development in 21st-century Africa—not by replacing classrooms, but by extending them to every corner of the continent.
