Expert insight into smartphone use and internet access across Africa reveals that there is a broader issue of internet connectivity in Africa that must be addressed in order to unlock the continent's full potential.
Sarah Slabbert, a consultant at global strategy consulting and marketing intelligence firm, Frost & Sullivan, gave a review on internet access, smartphone use, and the implications of the huge gap that exists among African countries.
In the smartphone market, Android phones are significantly more popular in Africa than iPhones due to their lower cost and broader range of options. This dominance is reflected in Android's 85.6% global market share in 2023, compared to Apple’s 13.3%.
Android’s popularity is particularly pronounced in Africa, and can be attributed to the fact that the Android operating system is used by a wide variety of brands, such as Samsung and Huawei, which are more affordable, in comparison with Apple’s operating system, iOS, which is run exclusively on iPhones.
This analysis shows that Android phones are well-suited to the African market, but the real challenge is the lack of widespread internet access in African countries.
As of 2022, internet penetration stood at only 36%, leaving over 900 million Africans out of about 1.5 billion, without connectivity. This means no smartphone connectivity, no access to Google, and no GPS systems, to name a few.
While countries like Morocco, the Seychelles, and South Africa boast high internet penetration rates, at 90.7%, 75%, and over 75% respectively, others lag far behind. For example, Nigeria, despite having the highest number of internet users in Africa at 103 million, still sees less than half its population connected.
This digital divide has profound implications for economic development in Africa and its global integration.
According to Slabbert, bridging this gap requires public-private partnerships (PPPs) and robust policies to expand internet infrastructure, ensuring stable and widespread access to a greater proportion of a country's population.
“Achieving this would unlock new opportunities for African businesses and creators, unlocking a new realm of possibilities for their businesses and futures,“ Slabbert said.
IOL