Sub-Saharan Africa remains the world’s least connected region, with only 46% of the adult population using mobile internet services.
This is according to the GSMA’s latest 2024 Mobile Internet Connectivity Report, which found that 71% of adults worldwide (or about 4 billion people over the age of 18) use mobile internet services.
In absolute terms, only 27% of the total population in sub-Saharan Africa uses mobile internet services, but this includes people under the age of 18 (young children) who are less likely to use mobile internet services. ), and the data is biased for regions with such services. young population.
A new report finds that 350 million people, or 4% of the world’s population, live in largely remote areas without mobile internet networks, or coverage gaps.
However, 3.1 billion people (39% of the world's population) live within areas with mobile internet coverage but do not use it. This is the usage gap.
This means that the global usage gap is nine times larger than the coverage gap.
As in previous years, sub-Saharan Africa continues to have the largest coverage and utilization gaps, at 13% and 60%, respectively.
In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), 49% of the total population (63% of adults) used mobile internet, but there was a 47% gap in usage and a 4% gap in coverage. there was.
(Source: GSMA Intelligence)
The GSMA said that while the proportion of the world’s population using mobile internet on their own devices continues to increase year on year, the rate of user growth is slowing.
An additional 160 million people started using mobile internet last year. This is on par with 2022 levels, but lower than the rate from 2015 to 2021, when more than 200 million new users were added each year.
(Source: GSMA Intelligence)
“The biggest challenge remains the usage gap. Bringing these people online will be worth an estimated $3.5 trillion to the global economy between 2023 and 2030, and 90% of this impact will be “This will benefit middle-income countries (LMICs),” the report said. the authors said.
The coverage gap is mainly found in rural, poor and sparsely populated areas, i.e. developing countries, landlocked countries and small island developing States.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that $418 billion is needed to build the infrastructure needed to achieve universal mobile Internet access.
In Africa, connectivity rates were found to be highest in southern and western Africa at around 30% and lowest in central Africa (19%). Central Africa also has the largest coverage gap of 34%. Eastern Africa has the widest variation in usage within the region, at 68%.
(Source: GSMA Intelligence)
GSMA Chief Regulatory Officer John Giusti said despite continued advances in network infrastructure reach expansion and mobile internet penetration, significant digital divides remained. Ta.
“Most users access the mobile Internet every day, but their activities are often limited to one or two activities, even though many want to do more. “Contributes to the development of the mobile internet,” Giusti said, highlighting persistent barriers to meaningful connectivity and preventing users from getting online and reaping the full benefits. said in a statement.
Although the majority of people worldwide now access the internet on 4G or 5G smartphones, one in five people still use 3G smartphones or feature phones.
This proportion has increased to nearly two-thirds in sub-Saharan Africa and more than one-third in MENA, limiting the scope and depth of online and digital experiences among users.
Barriers to Internet use
For unconnected people in LMICs, device affordability and digital skills and literacy are key barriers to mobile internet adoption.
In these countries, the price of an entry-level internet-enabled device is 18% of average monthly income, and this rises to 51% in the world’s poorest 20% of countries.
In sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for a quarter of the world’s unconnected population, this rises to 99% of the average monthly income of the region’s poorest 20%.
For women in LMICs, the cost of an entry-level internet-enabled device is 24% of their monthly income, compared to 12% for men.
Lack of digital skills and literacy is the second biggest barrier for people in sub-Saharan Africa.
Other established barriers to mobile Internet usage include lack of relevant localized content and services, safety and security concerns, and limited access to additional critical infrastructure and services such as electricity. I can list it.
“Collaboration between governments, international organizations and the mobile industry is essential to address barriers such as affordability, digital skills and awareness of mobile internet and its benefits. We must also focus on ensuring a robust online safety framework,” Giusti added.
The 2024 GSMA report was funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) through the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation.
