Africa continues to trail the rest of the world in Internet access, with only 38% of its population online in 2024—far below the global average of 68%, according to the latest State of Digital Development in Africa report released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The findings lay bare a widening digital divide that now threatens the continent’s ability to build a modern economy powered by innovation and digital services.

While the continent has made visible strides in expanding mobile coverage and updating policy frameworks, the ITU warns that the high cost of data, weak digital infrastructure, and a sharp urban-rural divide are collectively stalling Africa’s digital transformation.

Affordability remains the most significant obstacle to digital access, the report notes. Despite incremental improvements, the average cost of a 2GB monthly mobile broadband plan in Africa stood at 4.2% of gross national income (GNI) per capita in 2024—more than double the UN Broadband Commission’s affordability benchmark of 2%.

“That’s still more than double the UN Broadband Commission’s affordability target of two percent, and the highest of any ITU region,” the report said.

Fixed broadband is even less accessible. With a median cost of 15% of GNI per capita, home Internet remains a luxury for all but the wealthiest households. These figures not only place Africa as the least affordable region globally for Internet access, but also point to systemic inequalities that disproportionately affect women, rural dwellers, and low-income earners.

Mobile Dominates, But Access Is Not Uniform

Africa’s digital landscape continues to be shaped by mobile connectivity, which now covers 86% of the population. However, 14%—mostly in hard-to-reach areas, remain completely unserved. In rural regions, the gap widens to 25%, reinforcing a trend where digital infrastructure and investment are concentrated in urban areas.

About 70% of Africans now have access to 4G networks, but many remain stuck on 3G, 16% of the population as of 2024, relying on slower speeds and limited functionality. Meanwhile, 5G remains nascent, reaching just 11% of the population and confined largely to elite neighborhoods in cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg.

Urban-Rural Divide Undermining Inclusiveness

The report underscores a rapidly growing divide between Africa’s urban and rural communities. Internet penetration in cities hit 57% in 2024, while rural usage stood at just 23%. That gap, 34 percentage points, is the widest in any ITU-designated region, reflecting years of lopsided infrastructure investment that continues to prioritize urban centers.

In many rural communities, poor electricity supply, digital illiteracy, and lack of affordable smartphones further compound the problem. This disparity, experts warn, is creating parallel societies: one that’s connected and competitive, and another that’s isolated and economically vulnerable.

“These high costs hit low-income groups the hardest, deepening digital inequality across the continent,” the ITU stated in the report.

Weak Governance Slows Progress

While there have been some improvements in policy reform, the ITU points out that most African countries are still lagging in terms of digital governance. Only 18% of nations on the continent have achieved the highest standard of ICT regulation (G4), far below the global average of 38%.

The report stresses that a coordinated digital strategy is critical—not just for connectivity but also for cybersecurity, data protection, digital identity systems, and online skills training.

The Economic Cost of Digital Exclusion

Beyond infrastructure statistics, the ITU’s findings paint a bleak picture of Africa’s long-term economic development. Analysts say the continent’s failure to provide universal, affordable Internet access is effectively shutting the door to innovation-driven sectors such as e-learning, telemedicine, digital finance, and remote work.

One of the most visible casualties is the edutech sector, which has struggled to gain meaningful traction across much of the continent due to widespread connectivity issues. While several startups have developed digital learning platforms, poor Internet penetration has limited their reach, particularly in regions where access to traditional schools is already limited.

The inability of millions of students to access virtual classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of the continent’s education infrastructure.

Without reliable Internet, experts say Africa’s youth-driven population will be unable to compete in the global knowledge economy. Sectors like digital agriculture, logistics tech, and healthtech—which rely heavily on real-time data and connectivity—are also being held back.

Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria, exemplifies both the potential and pitfalls of the continent’s digital trajectory. The country had 138.7 million mobile Internet subscriptions as of December 2024, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). However, broadband penetration stood at just 44.43%, and over 42% of users were still on 2G.

Despite the commercial rollout of 5G by major telecom operators, only 2.4% of Nigerians had access to 5G networks by the end of 2024—highlighting the slow pace of modernization and unequal access to digital resources.

The ITU report concludes with a call for urgent action by governments, development partners, and the private sector. Recommendations include subsidizing broadband services for low-income users, expanding public Wi-Fi programs, investing in rural infrastructure, and fostering partnerships to scale up digital education and skills training.