According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), just over one-third of the African population used the Internet in 2023. This rate conceals enormous regional disparities.
In a report titled "Facts and Figures 2023," the ITU indicates that in 2023, the usage rate is low compared to 2022, where it was at 40%. However, connectivity has been steadily increasing over the last decade.
From 16% in 2013, the Internet usage rate rose to 25% in 2016, before steadily progressing to reach 40% in 2022. Prior to the decline in 2023, the only decrease observed in the last decade occurred in 2017, where the rate had dropped by 3.3 percentage points.
This progression between 2020 and 2022 can be attributed to several factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic which accelerated the adoption of various online activities, leading to an increase in Internet usage.
The 2023 data reported by the ITU shows that there is room for improvement on the continent. While Africa had a 37% usage rate, the global average was 67% according to the organization.
Even within Africa, the overall rate indicated by the ITU needs to be deciphered considering the disparities between countries where Internet penetration rates are very high. This is the case, for example, in Morocco where the rate stood at 88.1% of the total population at the beginning of 2023, according to Kepios' analysis. The Kingdom has the highest level of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development in its continent, as confirmed by the "Measuring digital development: The ICT Development Index 2023" report. In this ranking, Chad, for example, is in the last position.