A recent report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) highlighted significant growth in internet usage across Africa, with the number of internet users increasing from 181 million in 2014 to nearly 646 million today. This surge is largely driven by evolving consumer behaviors, including a rising demand for mobile video streaming and the increased use of artificial intelligence applications that require substantial data.
Egypt and Nigeria, the two most populous countries on the continent, represent nearly one-third of Africa’s internet users. The report also pointed out that Africa is expected to see further growth, with projections suggesting that internet users could exceed 1.1 billion by 2029—an impressive 70% increase.
The ITU report emphasized that the reduction in the cost of data would be a key factor in making internet access more affordable and accessible to millions. The average cost of 1 GB of data has dropped significantly from $12.44 in 2010 to $1.57 in 2020, highlighting the ongoing trend of decreasing data prices as internet adoption continues to rise globally.
The report also noted that the global increase in smartphone purchases has been a major driver of data usage. However, the cost of mobile data still varies significantly by region, with notable differences in the price of 1 GB of data across different areas.
In related news, a report by Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology revealed that the number of mobile internet users in Egypt reached approximately 82.51 million by the end of August 2024, marking a 10.64% year-on-year growth and an increase of about 7.94 million new users.
