Africa’s Internet Challenge Shifts From Coverage to Meaningful Use

Africa’s effort to connect one billion people to the internet by 2030 is facing a challenge that extends beyond mobile network coverage, according to a joint report by the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa and GSMA Intelligence.

The report examined connectivity indicators, infrastructure gaps and barriers to internet use across 11 core markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its findings suggest that many people who live within mobile broadband coverage still do not use mobile internet in ways that support communication, public services, finance or income generation.

Africa had about 550 million internet users in 2025, equivalent to 36% of its population. That was an increase from 16% in 2015, but remained well below the global internet usage rate of 74% cited in the report.

Coverage is not translating into use

The report distinguishes between people who are covered by mobile broadband but do not use mobile internet and those who live in locations without last-mile mobile or fixed connectivity.

About 906 million Africans were living within mobile broadband coverage without using mobile internet, while another 122 million people lived in areas without last-mile mobile or fixed connectivity, according to the report.

The barriers identified include the cost of internet-enabled devices, limited digital skills, concerns about trust in digital services, a lack of relevant content and services, and uncertainty about the practical value of going online.

An entry-level smartphone costs approximately $18, or about 7% of average monthly per capita income. Among people who were aware of mobile internet but did not use it, handset cost was cited as a barrier by 45% of men and 44% of women.

Three different national challenges

Ghana illustrates the difficulty of converting widespread network access into regular and productive use. The country has 99% 4G coverage but still records a 57% usage gap.

Among surveyed Ghanaians, weekly social media use was reported by 86% of men and 82% of women. By comparison, weekly use of online banking or mobile money stood at 25% for men and 21% for women. Government-service use was reported by 24% of men and 18% of women, while income-generating online activities reached 30% of men and 26% of women.

Egypt presents a different pattern. The report says 93% of Egyptian mobile internet users go online daily, but their activity is concentrated largely in communication, social media and entertainment. Weekly use of online banking or mobile money was reported by 15% to 16% of surveyed users, while 15% reported using government services and 13% to 14% used mobile internet for income-generating activities.

Egypt had 46.3 million active mobile wallets in the second quarter of 2025, although mobile-wallet activity remained concentrated on transfers and top-ups. The report also recorded a 54% increase in electronic fraud incidents reported by payment service providers, reaching 24,124 in 2025.

In Niger, more than 71% of the population was in the usage gap. The report links the challenge to literacy, device capability, language limitations, perceived value and the limited availability of relevant local digital services. Hausa and Zarma are identified as the country’s two most common languages, while local services in areas such as agriculture, education and public services remain limited.

Target remains achievable, report says

At current rates, Africa is projected to reach about 700 million internet users by 2030. That would leave the continent more than 300 million people short of the one-billion-user target.

The report argues that the goal remains achievable if countries address both the coverage gap and the usage gap. Halving those gaps could bring about 514 million additional people online.

It says different markets will require different interventions, including cheaper devices, stronger trust in digital services, more useful online platforms and local-language services designed to work with limited data.