Accessing e-services: availability of electronic devices in African countries

The availability of affordable devices plays a pivotal role in strengthening digital sovereignty. A nation’s ability to control and manage its digital ecosystem is crucial in the modern era, particularly in safeguarding data privacy, fostering local innovation, and ensuring the independence of national digital infrastructure. 

Despite the 160-million increase in internet users between 2019 and 2022, sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for a staggering 25% of the global population without mobile internet access. 61% of the region’s population lives within broadband coverage but cannot connect, largely due to economic barriers.

The Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020-2030) declares the objective to ensure that all Africans will have Internet access by 2030 with a speed of at least 6 mb/s, at a price not exceeding USD 1 cts per mb, and through a locally produced device costing not more than USD 100.

Generally, African countries are characterised as mobile-based economies. The majority of the continent’s population utilised mobile broadband more frequently than fixed broadband. Mobile devices are the principal method to access internet services, internet connections to homes and offices (i.e., with fiber-to-the-premise) are largely absent, except for some capital cities. In regions with limited fixed infrastructure, mobile devices become essential tools for delivering digital public goods to remote and marginalised communities 

Based on the Afrobarometer 2022 Survey, which covered 34 African countries (Gabon, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, Eswatini, Kenya, Tunisia, Cameroon, Guinea, Botswana, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Gambia, Nigeria, Lesotho, Cabo Verde, Togo, Namibia, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Benin, Uganda, Sudan, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Niger, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Malawi and Angola), the average mobile phone ownership rate stood at 84%. Since 2015, the  rate for this indicator has risen by 5% overall for 31 countries. On the other hand, only 45% out of 84% have mobile phones with internet access. In line with Statcounter’s May 2024 data, mobile phones accounted for 77.8% of market share, desktops comprised 21.13%, while tablets constituted only 1.08%. 

The average mobile phone ownership rate stands at 84% while mobile phones account for 77.8% market share.

There is a disparity between the countries: in Morocco and Gabon, 96% of the population owns a mobile phone, while in Angola and Malawi, the figure stands at 57%. The urban population is more likely to have a mobile phone than the rural population, with the figures being 92% and 76%, respectively. The gap concerning internet access is larger: 64% versus 29%. A remarkable variability is also seen across demographic groups. Regarding gender, 88% of men own a phone, compared to 79% of women. A phone with Internet access is owned by 49% of men and 40% of women. 53% of representatives of a younger generation have phones with internet access, compared to 21% of the older generation (60 or older). 

Given the prevalence of mobile phones over other devices, most users access e-government services mainly through them. This unique context necessitates the adaptation of digital services to mobile platforms, ensuring accessibility and usability for citizens. Public services are often delivered via SMS, USSD, and mobile applications, enabling even those without internet access to interact with government systems. 

Personal computer (PC) household penetration must increase from 11% to 22%, and the number of PCs available within households should add 25 million items. Concerning the availability of gadgets, the overall objective is to keep the prices on tablets and PCs under 200 USD and 400 USD, respectively. Based on Afrobarometer calculations, in 34 countries surveyed, on average, 17% have a personal computer, and 11% have a computer in a household (In Eastern Africa, computers are the least affordable; the affordability rate compared to GNI per capita stands at 471.69%. In Southern Africa, computers are the most affordable, with an affordability rate of 47.78%). 

Based on the SWOT analysis carried out within the AU Digital Transformation Strategy, increasing the availability of mobile phones is one of the continent’s main strengths. The cost of internet access, being immoderate for the larger part of the population, is among the weaknesses. The future connection of 200 million people to the Internet, which ought to entail GDP growth, is one of the opportunities. The main threat is an existing gender gap in mobile access and usage, which could lead to an increase in inequality if not properly addressed.

As per ITU data, the high cost of electronic devices is among the main factors hindering the use of the internet. However, mobile phones are unlikely to hold their status as the main device for connection for much longer, as smartphones are set to take their place. The GSMA Mobile Economy 2023 report forecasts that by 2030, smartphone internet connections will represent 92% of the world’s total connections. In 2022, this type of connection was used by 51% of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa, and is projected to reach 87% by 2030. In 2022, the average mobile data traffic per smartphone in Sub-Saharan African countries stood at 4.6 gigabytes per month.

Middle East, Northern Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa regions experience the highest growth in smartphone adoption in the world, with a growth rate of 18% and 16%, respectively. 

According to Smart Africa, in 2020, the majority of smartphones used in Africa were Android-based, with Transsion (China) and Samsung (South Korea) being the most popular brands.

The share of smartphones manufactured in Africa stood at approximately 0.5% in 2020, and is planned to be increased to 3% in 2027.

 Localizing the assembly of digital devices can further enhance digital sovereignty. Domestic manufacturing not only reduces costs but also creates jobs, stimulates the local economy, and builds technical expertise. By producing devices locally, countries can reduce reliance on expensive imports and ensure that devices are tailored to the needs of their populations. Additionally, localised assembly encourages the adoption of region-specific innovations and builds resilience against global supply chain disruptions. For example, In 2022, an entrepreneur Alain Capo-Chichi in Côte-d’Ivoire launched the production of the first locally-produced smartphone “Open G” that utilises voice commands in 16 languages spoken in the country, including Dioula, Senoufo, Bété and several others. It is aimed at facilitating the use of technology for illiterate people. As of 2024, 21 African countries have launched local assembly of smartphones initiatives, while 7 announced plans to launch local smartphone factories. 

Smart feature phones Potential approach to increase device affordability lies in hybridising a traditional feature phone and a smartphone, thus giving life to a ‘smart feature phone’. Powered by lightweight operating systems like KaiOS, developed by Hong-Kong based KaiOS Technologies (Investors include Google, TCL Holdings (China), KDDI Open Innovation Fund (Japan), Finnfund (Finland) and others), these devices offer essential smartphone functionalities  — such as internet connectivity, GPS, and app access — at significantly lower costs. In Africa, smart feature phones are playing an increasingly significant role in bridging the digital divide, particularly in countries with limited access to full smartphones due to affordability, infrastructure, and other challenges. 

With the average cost of a smartphone often exceeding the monthly income in many African countries, smart feature phones offer a much more budget-friendly alternative, priced between USD 20 and USD 50. This allows a larger population to own a device that connects them to the internet and digital services.

Authors:

Olesya Kalashnik, Editorial Coordinator of the E-Governance Knowledge Hub, with the assistance from Daria Sukhova and Igor Demin.