08 November 2019

The number of broadband connections in Africa crossed the 400 million mark in 2018 (nearly 20 times 2010 levels)

African nations will need to get around 1.1 billion people online if the continent is to stand a chance of achieving universal broadband access, according to a new report.

Unveiled at the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group, the Connecting Africa Through Broadband report found that less than a third of Africa’s population has access to broadband connectivity and achieving universal, affordable and good quality internet access by 2030 will require a US$100-billion investment.

The report also said urgent action was needed to close the internet access gap while providing a roadmap to reach this goal.

In order to get the 1.1 billion people online, the report said there was a need for exceptional and coordinated efforts from governments, the private sector, development partners and that the investment is worth it.

“The digital agenda is first and foremost a growth and jobs agenda,” said Makhtar Diop, the World Bank’s Vice president for infrastructure.

“The working-age population in Africa is expected to increase by some 450 million people between 2015 and 2035. If current trends continue, less than one quarter will find stable jobs. Broadening internet access means creating millions of job opportunities.”

A statement from the World Bank said that while the number of broadband connections in Africa crossed the 400 million mark in 2018 (nearly 20 times 2010 levels), the regional average broadband penetration -including 3G and 4G connections- is only 25% in 2018.

“Mobile broadband coverage in Africa is still at 70% of the population. Even in North Africa, there is ample room for growth with 4G networks covering only about 60% of the population. Additional challenges, such as the lack of access to reliable and affordable electricity, make accelerating Africa’s digital transformation journey even more difficult,” the organisation states.

The report further found that nearly 80% of all required investments are directly related to the need to roll out and maintain broadband networks.

However, connecting the unconnected is about more than just infrastructure: about 20% of required investment consists in building the user skills and local content foundations, and another 2-4% should be allocated to setting up the appropriate regulatory framework, it said.