• Despite broad mobile coverage, about 70 % of unconnected Africans live in covered areas

• World Bank and governments push new focus on affordability, skills, and digital public goods

• Summit highlights need for regional harmonization toward an African Single Digital Market

At Cotonou, the diagnosis left no ambiguity: Africa’s digital challenge is no longer mainly about infrastructure but about adoption, now the core battleground for digital inclusion. During the “Regional Summit on Digital Transformation in West and Central Africa,” held from November 17 to 18, governments, the World Bank, and several regional institutions emphasized a growing paradox. Despite expanding mobile coverage, nearly two out of three Africans remain offline. According to data presented by the World Bank, about 70 % of people who are not connected already live in covered areas.

Persistent economic and social barriers

In a region long described as suffering from a shortage of towers, fiber, or backbone networks, this shift in analysis marks a turning point. “The challenge is no longer to cover, but to include,” summarized Ousmane Diagana, World Bank vice president for West and Central Africa, during the opening session. Behind this statement lies a new certainty: the connectivity battle now depends on economic accessibility, digital skills, and relevant uses. “The first challenge is to reduce the digital divide to connect more Africans,” he added.

Throughout the opening day in Cotonou, interventions converged. Networks exist. Digital tools are expanding. But demand has not followed. Today, 4G covers more than 76 % of the West African population, and up to 90 % in major cities along the Gulf of Guinea. Yet only 38 to 40 % of the population actually uses the Internet. This gap, which the World Bank now calls the “user gap,” has become one of the main hurdles of Africa’s digital decade. “These vulnerable populations still face difficult choices between daily needs and connectivity,” Diagana reminded attendees.

Economic factors remain the main barrier. Mobile Internet still costs an average of 4.6 % of monthly income, more than twice the international affordability threshold. Fixed broadband accounts for 21.5 % of monthly income, an unprecedented level. Liberia, an extreme case, has prices reaching up to 153 % of average monthly income for fixed access, making subscriptions largely inaccessible. In most countries in the region, the price of an entry-level smartphone equals one to two weeks of income for an urban household, and much more in rural areas. “Digital technology can only be a driver of prosperity if it is economically accessible,” said Sangbu Kim, World Bank vice president for digital and AI.

Social factors are equally significant. In many countries, levels of digital literacy remain too low to fully benefit from online services. Women in particular fall far behind: they are 35 % less likely to be connected than men and are less likely to own a smartphone, according to the World Bank. In some rural areas of the Sahel, fewer than one in five adults can use a browser or fill out an online form. This lack of skills, which curbs demand, also limits businesses. Few have staff trained to manage digital tools, and even fewer are equipped to use advanced solutions such as artificial intelligence. “The lack of digital skills is a real barrier, especially for young people and women,” Kim stressed.

A shift in approach

Against this backdrop, the Cotonou summit took on strategic significance. For the World Bank, the change in approach is deliberate. For twenty years, the institution largely financed infrastructure: national fiber networks, regional interconnections, transport networks, 3G and 4G projects. It now intends to tackle usage directly. This means financing digital public goods—digital IDs, payment systems, unified registries, interoperable platforms—that make services more accessible and stimulate demand. “Digital identity, payment systems, and interoperability are public goods: when they work, markets connect to them,” Diagana said.

Diagana explained that without reliable identification systems, digitalized public services, and affordable electronic payments, populations see little reason to go online. By expanding service offerings—online health, connected agriculture, digital taxation, online learning—usage should naturally increase, creating a virtuous circle beneficial to telecom operators and states. “Digital technology can become a tool for economic transformation if services become useful in daily life,” said Abdoulaye Bio Tchané.

Building digital skills

Another major priority, widely discussed, is digital skills. World Bank estimates show that by 2030, 230 million jobs in Africa will require digital or AI-related skills. Yet most education systems are not aligned with these needs. Aurélie Adam Soulé Zoumarou, Benin’s minister of digital economy, stressed the urgent need for training. She told the story of Merveille, a young Beninese woman recognized at the International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad. “It is for Merveille and for all the young people of our countries that our collaborations must deepen,” she said, noting that talent exists but must be multiplied to compete globally. “Digital is no longer a choice: it is an economic, social, and strategic necessity,” she added.

Benin, the host country, used the event to showcase its own progress. State Minister Abdoulaye Bio Tchané outlined reforms carried out since 2016, including the digitalization of more than 800 administrative procedures, the establishment of training centers for digital professions, and the adoption of regulatory reforms aimed at supporting the start-up ecosystem. “Digital technology can become one of the strongest pillars of sustainable growth and regional integration,” he said, arguing that the time has come to harmonize digital policies to create a true regional market. “We have a unique opportunity if we mobilize our skills and partnerships,” he added.

African Single Digital Market

The prospect of an African Single Digital Market, supported by the African Union, occupied a central place in the discussions. The summit is expected to produce a joint declaration committing countries to reduce access costs, pool cross-border infrastructure, strengthen interoperability, and develop shared services. Several speakers noted that private investment in data centers, cloud services, and terrestrial fiber networks can only accelerate if the region offers a harmonized and predictable regulatory framework. “The time for isolated projects is over: our countries must create regional synergies,” said Aurélie Adam Soulé Zoumarou.

Fiacre E. Kakpo