Africa: internet penetration 2021

Around four out of 10 people in Africa had internet access in December 2021. The online penetration rate on the continent was below the global average, measured at around 66 percent. According to Statista forecasts, the number of internet users in Africa increased to around 565 million in 2022, six times more than in 2010. By 2025, the figure might come close to 700 million. However, despite the rapid improvement in connectivity access, internet use in Africa remained the lowest worldwide.

The huge gap between African regions and countries

Inside Africa, internet access varies greatly. While nearly 70 percent of the population living in the continent’s southern region was connected in 2022, the online penetration rate did not even reach 30 percent in both East and Central Africa. Likewise, connectivity differs drastically among countries. Morocco had an internet penetration of approximately 84.1 percent in 2022, the highest among African nations. On the other hand, only seven percent of the population in Eritrea had access to an internet connection.

Mobile dominates web traffic in Africa

The predominant adoption of mobile devices has characterized internet use in Africa. In 2021, nearly 70 percent of the web traffic on the continent took place via mobile - more than in all other world regions. In North America and Europe, for instance, desktops still accounted for most of the online traffic. However, when it comes to mobile internet connectivity, Africa has been lagging behind. Below the Sahara, less than one-third of the population was connected to mobile internet services in 2020, against 50 percent worldwide.