Leaving No One Behind: Accelerating Digital Inclusion for the Underserved in Africa

More people are using mobile internet in Sub-Saharan Africa than ever before, however, there remains a significant digital divide. The vast majority, 87% of those not connected, live in areas covered by mobile broadband but face other barriers to being able to use it.  

Those who are digitally excluded are more likely to be poorer, less educated, rural and women and people with disabilities – groups that stand to gain the most from connectivity. Whilst our latest data shows that the mobile internet gender gap in Sub-Saharan Africa has narrowed consistently for the past two years, from 36% in 2022 to 32% in 2023, and now stands at 29%, there are still around 205 million women in the region who do not yet use it. Without urgent efforts to close the digital divide, the underserved are at risk of being left behind in an increasingly digital world.  

This session will bring together stakeholders to discuss what is needed to drive digital inclusion for the underserved in Sub-Saharan Africa, sharing examples and ideas of potential solutions.