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Data & Numbers

Seemingly endless numbers of statistics exist on the subject of African telecommunications. Over the years, governments, ISPs, and consultants have studied a range of metrics in order to gauge the prospects for network development. These numbers can help shape ICT policy, funding, and more. Take caution, however: many statistics are outdated (many by more than 5 years). For statistics posts, go to the stats category archive page.

  • Sierra Leone has the lowest Internet penetration rate in Africa (0.3% – that’s 3 people in every 1,000). The infrastructure is in disarray and a one minute local call costs the equivalent of $4.20 USD.
  • The number of Internet users in the Central African Republic has grown by nearly 58,000% since the year 2000, however, in 9 years, the number has only grown from 500 to 290,000. Dial-up cost: $6.90 USD per hour.
  • Africa’s Internet penetration rate has increased by 1.1% in the three months from March to June 2009, and has risen 1100% in the past 8 years.
  • Dozens of other African nations have similar penetration rates, growth rates, and network costs. Learn more below:

Numbers and Percentages

  1. Africa Internet Usage and Population Statistics. {http://www.internetworldstats.com/africa.htm} The best source for African Internet users/subscribers by country and by percentage of the population. Note the vast difference in number of subscribers vs. users (penetration rate).
  2. World Internet Usage Statistics News. {http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm} Essential to put African Internet usage and penetration in perspective with the rest of the world. The 6.7% continent-wide penetration rate is by far the lowest in the world.
  3. Information Society Statistical Profiles 2009 Africa. {http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-d/opb/ind/D-IND-RPM.AF-2009-PDF-E.pdf} A 76-page document from the ITU. Very informative with some of the best information available at this time.
  4. Africa, ICT Indictators, 2007. {http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/statistics/at_glance/af_ictindicators_2007.html} Number of telephone lines, mobile subscribers, and Internet users by country. There are 5x as many mobile subscribers as Internet users.
  5. Country Reports – Balancing Act News Update. {http://www.balancingact-africa.com} Detailed Internet stats and ISP stats for two dozen categories, by country. Includes price points.
  6. “Global Internet Audience Surpasses 1 Billion Visitors,“ comScore, Jan. 23, 2009. {http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2009/1/Global_Internet_Audience_1_Billion} Another source of worldwide Internet usage information.
  7. Costs of Broadband Internet Access. {http://confluence.slac.stanford.edu/download/attachments/56493168/africa-cost.png} The cost of bandwidth in Africa is off the chart compared with more developed nations.
  8. Minimum RTT for Countries of the World, first half 2009. {http://confluence.slac.stanford.edu/download/attachments/56493168/world-min-rtt-bar.png} Essentially, a graph of network speeds, by nation, for the world.
  9. NSRC: Connectivity Information by Country. {http://nsrc.org/AFRICA/africa.html} Database of dozens of links and historical network information by country.
  10. 2007 African – Broadband and Internet Markets. {http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c74904} Summary of a recent report on Africa’s digital networks.
  11. Teledensity and ICT Rankings 1993-2003. {http://link.wits.ac.za/journal/j05-kelly-ict-rankings.pdf} A look at the progress of telecommunications, by country.
  12. Internet Penetration vs. HDI, 2009. {http://www.onlineafrica.net/statistics/hdi-table} Human Development Index vs. Internet user rates, by country.
  13. Internet Penetration, 2000-2008. {http://www.onlineafrica.net/statistics/internet-penetration} Summary of Internet user rates, from Internet World Stats data.
  14. Internet Usage in Sub-Saharan Africa, Aug 2009. {http://www.gottaquirk.com/2009/08/28/friday-fact-box-internet-usage-in-sub-saharan-africa} Sub-Saharan Internet stats and an outlook for SA.
  15. Facebook Users in Nigeria and Africa, Aug 8, 2009. {http://webtrendsng.com/blog/facebook-users-in-nigeria-and-africa} Facebook trends and user data for the social network.
  16. AfriNIC IP statistics. {http://www.afrinic.net/statistics} Trends in registered IP blocks and more.
  17. The Internet in Africa. {http://www.gandalf.it/data/africeng.htm} A wide range of stats and charts up through December 2007.
  18. Empirical bandwidth speeds from Accra, Nairobi, and Nigeria. {http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcmetroblogger/tags/bandwidth} Speed measured in multiple locations in Africa.
  19. Internet users per 100 inhabitants graph. {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Internet_users_per_100_inhabitants_1997-2007_ITU.png} A chart from ITU data, 1997-2007.
  20. e-Skills Volume One 2008 Policy Paper 3, 2009, Jan Philipp Schmidt & Christoph Stork. {http://www.researchictafrica.net/new/images/uploads/ria%20policy%20paper%20vol1paper3%20-%20eskills.pdf} Useful data from a group of 20 countries.
  21. State of the Internet Report, Akamai. {http://www.akamai.com/stateoftheinternet/} An attempt to measure the average bandwidth and penetration of the continents.