According to the GSMA, a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem in its “State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2024” report, mobile internet adoption continues to increase, with 57% of the world’s population (4.6 billion people) now using mobile internet on their own devices.
While adoption typically leads to daily use in Asian and Latin American countries, this is not the case in the Sub-Saharan African countries surveyed.
However, the growth rate at which people are adopting mobile internet remained flat in 2023. Around 160 million people started using mobile internet in 2023, which is similar to the growth in 2022 but represents a slowdown compared to 2015–2021 when more than 200 million people became connected each year.
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More than 90% of the growth in 2023 came from low and middle-income countries (LMICs), where 95% of the unconnected population lives. Yet, despite high adoption rates in these regions, connectivity still faces structural and affordability challenges.
Commenting on the survey’s findings, John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer at the GSMA, said while progress continues to be made in improving infrastructure and increasing mobile internet adoption, significant digital divides exist.
“in addition, although most users access mobile internet daily, their activities are often limited to just one or two activities, even though many express a desire to do more. This highlights persistent barriers – affordability, lack of skills and literacy, concerns around safety and security and a lack of relevant content and services that prevent users from getting online and then using mobile internet to meet their life needs once they are online.
“Governments, mobile operators, and international organizations must collaborate to address barriers such as affordability, digital skills, and awareness of mobile internet and the benefits it can provide This effort must also focus on investing in local, digital ecosystems and ensuring robust online safety frameworks”, he said.
A range of reasons explain why people are not adopting mobile internet despite living in areas covered by mobile broadband. Key factors include lack of awareness of mobile internet not being able to afford an internet-enabled phone, and lack of literacy and skills. Among existing mobile internet users, many want to use the internet more and face barriers to further use. Key factors here include safety and security concerns, affordability, and the connectivity experience. Lack of perceived relevance also plays a role.
The cost of entry-level handsets continues to limit access, particularly for the poorest segments of LMIC populations, where the expense can equal up to 99% of average monthly income. Closing the mobile internet usage gap could yield a substantial economic impact. The projected gain is estimated at $3.5 trillion in additional GDP from 2023 to 2030, with over 90% of this benefit flowing to LMICs.
Mobile Internet Connectivity by Region
East Asia & Pacific reportedly has the third highest levels of connectivity after North America and Europe & Central Asia, with 72% of the region’s population using mobile internet. However, this continues to mask significant variation within the region. In high-income countries (HICs), including Japan, South Korea and Australia, 84% of the population used mobile internet as of the end of 2023, compared to 71% for LMICs in the region. In the Pacific Islands, mobile internet adoption is much lower (28%), with more than one in six people remaining uncovered; it has a larger coverage gap than in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region with the lowest connectivity levels and largest coverage gap. Within LMICs, individuals in rural areas are 28% less likely to use mobile internet than their urban counterparts, and women are 15% less likely than men. Connectivity is highest in Southern and Western Africa at around 30%, and lowest in Central Africa at 19%. Central Africa also has the largest coverage gap, at 34%. Eastern Africa has the largest usage gap within the region, at 68%.
Specifically, when looking at adults aged 18+, levels of connectivity in Sub-Saharan Africa increased from 27% to 46%, from 46% to 59% in South Asia and from 49% to 63% in MENA. However, more than half of adults aged 18+ were still unconnected in Sub-Saharan Africa, while more than a third were unconnected in South Asia and MENA. 5G network adoption has reportedly accelerated, with over 1.5 billion connections worldwide by 2023.
The number of individuals using a smartphone for mobile internet rose to 4.3 billion by the end of 2023, with the majority of users now connected via 4G or 5G. However, nearly a third of mobile internet users in regions like Latin America, the Caribbean, and MENA still rely on 3G or feature phones.
However, in over 100 countries most of them LMICs have yet to launch 5G. Rising data consumption and improved network quality are evident in LMICs, yet the disparity in download speeds is significant: while high-income countries enjoy nearly 100 Mbps, speeds remain below 20 Mbps in LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS.
In a positive shift in mobile internet usage, the gender gap in mobile internet adoption has narrowed for the first time since 2020. More women across LMICs are using mobile internet than ever before. However, there are still 265 million fewer women than men in these countries using and reaping the benefits of mobile internet. Between 2017 and 2020, the mobile internet gender gap narrowed substantially, but in 2021 and 2022 progress stalled. The latest data shows that for the first time since 2020, the mobile internet gender gap has narrowed once again, with women now 15% less likely than men to use it.
This is due to a higher rate of mobile internet adoption by women in 2023 and a slower rate of adoption by men compared to 2022. This reduction in the mobile internet gender gap was driven primarily by South Asia and brings the overall mobile internet gender gap back to its 2020 level. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia continue to be the regions with the widest mobile internet gender gaps. Around 60% of women who are still not using mobile internet across LMICs live in these regions.
In summary, while mobile internet adoption continues to rise, a complex web of barriers spanning affordability, awareness, and network accessibility prevents equitable global connectivity. Addressing these challenges could unlock significant socioeconomic benefits, especially for underserved regions.