Africa Trails at 36% Internet Use in 2025 as Global Connectivity Reaches 74%

2 articles · Updated · Guardian Nigeria · Aug 21

Only 36% of أفريقيا’s population is online in 2025, the ITU said, making it the least connected region even as global internet use rose to 74%, or about 6 billion people.
The gap is being driven by infrastructure shortfalls, high costs and weak digital skills; the ITU warned universal connectivity in Africa remains distant without targeted investment.
31% of African women use the internet versus 40% of men, while the urban-rural split is even sharper at 55% online in cities and 21% in rural areas—the widest regional divide globally.
12% of Africans have 5G access, far below Europe’s 74%, and 14% still rely only on 3G, underscoring how the continent risks falling further behind in advanced mobile networks.
More than 2.2 billion people remain offline worldwide, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, with affordability still out of reach in about 60% of those economies.