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Africa digital divide: GSMA report warns of passive internet usage
A GSMA report, ‘The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2026’, highlights a significant digital divide in Africa. While 83% of users connect to the internet daily, usage is largely restricted to social media, instant messaging, and video content. Between 90% and 96% of users dedicate their data to these entertainment-focused platforms, leaving high-value digital services underutilized.
In countries such as Senegal, Nigeria, and Uganda, fewer than 38% of internet users access online public services. Similarly, in Ghana and Ethiopia, less than 30% use the internet for e-commerce, job searches, or agricultural data. The report notes a stark urban-rural divide: in Ethiopia, daily internet use is 29% in cities but only 4% in rural areas, while in Nigeria, diversified usage drops from 41% in urban centers to 13% in the countryside.
To avoid losing potential GDP growth, the GSMA emphasizes that the focus must shift from mere network coverage and smartphone affordability to enhancing digital literacy in critical sectors like health, education, and finance.
Separately, the history of African connectivity is illustrated by figures like Ali Drissa Badiel, an engineer who helped establish Burkina Faso’s first national internet access node, FasoNet, in 1996. His career reflects the continent's transition from early infrastructure building to managing complex digital networks across the ECOWAS region.
Entities
Ali Drissa Badiel · ECOWAS · GSMA · ONATEL
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The GSMA published a report titled ‘The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2026’. www.leconomistemaghrebin.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 83% of African internet users connect to the internet daily. www.leconomistemaghrebin.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Between 90% and 96% of African internet users spend their data on social platforms, instant messaging, and videos. www.leconomistemaghrebin.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Ethiopia, 29% of urban residents use the internet daily, compared to 4% in rural areas. www.leconomistemaghrebin.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Nigeria, diversified internet usage is 41% in cities but drops to 13% in rural areas. www.leconomistemaghrebin.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Less than 38% of internet users in Senegal, Nigeria, or Uganda use online public services. www.leconomistemaghrebin.com