Sub-Saharan Africa is at a critical point in its digital journey. Mobile internet is more available than ever before, with coverage reaching deeper into rural and remote areas. Networks are expanding, new towers are going up, and 4G and even 5G footprints are growing. On paper, this should be the beginning of a new era of inclusion. Yet, the reality is far more complex.
The latest GSMA State of Mobile Internet Connectivity report captures this contradiction with striking numbers: in 2024, 65 of Sub-Saharan Africa's population-about 790 million people were not using mobile internet, even though they lived within the footprint of a broadband network . In other words, hundreds of millions are covered, but not connected.
This single statistic tells a story of paradox: coverage has grown, but usage has stalled. The digital divide is no longer primarily about physical access to networks. It is about why people, even when covered, remain disconnected.
