• Mobile data in Sub-Saharan Africa cost 3.9% of monthly income in 2024, the highest rate globally

• Only 38% of the population had access to the Internet, compared to a global average of 68%

• High prices and poor rural coverage continue to fuel the region’s deep digital divide

In 2024, a basic mobile data plan offering 2 gigabytes per month cost the equivalent of 3.9% of the average monthly income in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a recent report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). That is the highest rate anywhere in the world.

The document, titled “State of Digital Development and Trends in the Africa Region: Challenges and Opportunities”, indicated that while prices have dropped significantly since 2018 when the same plan cost 7.3% of the average monthly income—they are still nearly double the UN’s affordability benchmark of 2%.

The situation is even worse for fixed broadband. A basic plan of 5 gigabytes per month now costs 3.4% of average income, making it largely out of reach for most low-income households.

These high prices continue to shut out millions, particularly in rural areas, from meaningful access to the Internet. The ITU warns that this deepens existing social and economic inequalities.

Fewer than 4 in 10 People Are Online

Internet access remains limited across Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2024, just 38% of the population used the Internet, far behind the global average of 68%. But there is some progress. Since 2005, the region has recorded an average growth rate of 16.7% per year in Internet use—twice the global growth rate over the same period. Over the past decade, growth has slowed to 10.7% annually but still remains ahead of the world average of 6.1%.

However, the digital divide across the region is not just wide—it is also uneven.

Some countries are far more connected than others. In 2024, Seychelles had the highest Internet penetration at 87%, while Burundi lagged far behind at just 11%.

Sub-Saharan Africa faces a multi-layered digital divide. Internet use is much higher in cities, where 57% of residents were online in 2024, compared to just 23% in rural areas. This is the widest urban-rural gap anywhere in the world.

There is also a sharp gender divide. Last year, 43% of men used the Internet, compared to only 31% of women.

The younger generation and people living in cities are driving digital adoption. Older adults and rural communities remain largely disconnected, held back by high costs, limited network coverage, and a lack of digital literacy.

In most of Sub-Saharan Africa, mobile networks are the main gateway to the Internet. Fixed broadband is still rare and expensive. As of 2024, there were only 52 mobile broadband subscriptions for every 100 people in the region well below the global average of 95. For fixed broadband, the number drops below 1 subscription per 100 people.

Mobile coverage has expanded, but gaps remain. Around 86% of the region’s population is covered by mobile broadband networks, leaving 14% without access. In rural areas, that figure rises to 25%.

About 70% of the population is within reach of 4G networks. But 16% still rely on slower, less reliable 3G service. And while 5G is starting to roll out in some countries, it currently reaches just 11% of the population.