A new report from the GSMA highlights a significant paradox in Sub-Saharan Africa’s digital transformation. While the region is making substantial progress in expanding mobile broadband infrastructure, its population faces the world’s most severe barriers to getting online, leading to the lowest rates of mobile internet use globally.
The GSMA’s annual State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 report shows that while 58% of the world’s population (4.7 billion people) are now mobile internet subscribers, a staggering 3.1 billion people live within the footprint of a mobile broadband network but remain offline. This “usage gap” is now the central crisis in digital inclusion, dwarfing the 300 million people (4% of the global population) who still live in areas without network coverage. Business Insider Africa recently highlighted the top African countries with the widest internet usage gaps
This divide carries a hefty economic price. Closing the usage gap could unlock an additional $3.5 trillion in GDP globally by 2030. For low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), bridging the gender gap in mobile internet use alone would add another $1.3 trillion to their economies.
The Crisis of Affordability
According to the report, the single greatest barrier preventing people from getting online is the prohibitive cost of an internet-enabled handset. Across LMICs, an entry-level phone costs an average of 16% of a person’s monthly income.
This crisis is most severe in Sub-Saharan Africa. For the poorest 20% of the population in the region, an entry-level device costs a staggering 87% of their monthly income. This single factor keeps the digital world far out of reach for millions. The report identifies a key tipping point: a device priced at $30 could make handsets affordable for up to 1.6 billion people globally.
The report provides several recommendations for helping more people use the mobile internet. The key suggestions include:
- Improve Affordability: The cost of both phones and data plans should be lower. This includes creating new ways for people to pay for devices, such as payment plans.
- Invest in Digital Skills: Initiatives should focus on teaching people the skills needed to use the internet safely and with confidence.
- Build a Safer Internet: It is important to create systems that protect users from online risks like scams and fraud. This helps build the trust needed for more people to go online.
- Foster Relevant Content: The report recommends supporting the creation of local websites, services, and apps in local languages that are useful for people’s daily lives.
