Why Africa's Offline Millions Remain Disconnected: The Mobile Internet Usage Gap
The mobile internet usage gap means millions of Africans who live within network coverage are still offline, revealing a growing problem in the continent's digital economy: having a network available does not necessarily mean people can afford, understand or choose to use it.
The GSMA's State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2026 report found that, in 2025, 38% of the global population had a mobile broadband network within reach but did not go online through it. Africa fares worse: roughly 63% of the population resides where mobile broadband coverage exists, yet those people do not go online via their phones.
For Nigeria, the numbers appear to be somewhat concerning.
Nigeria Has a Major Mobile Internet Usage Gap
Nigeria has expanded its telecommunications infrastructure considerably, but internet adoption has not kept pace with network availability. The GSMA estimates that about 140 million Nigerians were within mobile broadband coverage but were not using mobile internet in 2025. This is what the industry calls the mobile internet usage gap.
The terminology deserves care here, because the two terms describe different problems. People who live beyond the range of any mobile broadband network fall into the coverage gap. Those who are within range but still not online make up the usage gap. With that distinction settled, it is the latter that Nigeria is facing more and more.
GSMA data cited in its Nigeria analysis shows the following:
- Mobile network coverage had reached nearly 90% of the population by 2024.
- The usage gap remained close to 60%.
- Smartphone ownership was only 27% at the time.
In other words, expanding network infrastructure alone will not solve Nigeria's digital divide.
The Cost of Getting Online Remains a Barrier
One of the biggest obstacles is affordability.
Having a network signal is only the first step. Users still need an internet-enabled device and enough money to purchase data regularly. The reality for many low-income households is that the cost of a smartphone can be quite consequential, especially as device prices rise. The GSMA has identified smartphone affordability as a major factor behind the persistent usage gap in Africa, while its latest global report also highlights rising memory costs as a factor affecting the affordability of internet-enabled devices.
Data costs also matter. A person may have a smartphone and live under good network coverage but still restrict their internet use because purchasing data competes with other household expenses. This creates a situation where being technically connected does not necessarily mean being meaningfully connected.
A good number of people today still don't know about WI-Fi calling. Read more about it here, so you aren't left in the dark.
Digital Skills and Confidence Matter Too
Cost is not the only explanation.
Some people remain offline because they lack the knowledge or confidence required to use digital services effectively. This can include knowing how to search for reliable information, use online financial services, protect personal information or navigate digital platforms. The GSMA identifies consumer readiness, including knowledge and skills, as one of the key conditions for mobile internet adoption.
Nigeria's digital inclusion efforts therefore need to go beyond building infrastructure. The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has identified affordable devices, electricity, connectivity and digital skills as interconnected priorities for expanding digital access.
Relevant Services Can Determine Whether People Go Online
Seeing an obvious payoff also makes people likelier to go online. Among Nigerians, that payoff might be online banking or digital payments for some, while for others it could be learning, finding work, health services, entertainment, keeping in touch or running a small business.
If online services are expensive, difficult to navigate, unavailable in relevant languages or poorly suited to people's needs, network coverage alone may not persuade more people to come online. This is why the conversation around digital inclusion is shifting from simply “Who has network coverage?” to “Who can meaningfully use the internet?”
Read the full details on Nigeria's internet data usage in 2026 here
Closing Nigeria's Digital Divide Requires More Than Connectivity
Nigeria's growing data consumption shows that millions of people are already deeply engaged with the internet. The Nigerian Communications Commission recorded more than 1.75 million terabytes of internet data consumption in August 2026, demonstrating the scale of demand among existing users. Yet still, high usage among connected Nigerians does not mean the digital divide has disappeared.
The challenge now would most likely be to bring more people from coverage to actual use, and narrowing the mobile internet usage gap means doing the following:
- making smartphones and data more affordable;
- improving digital literacy;
- strengthening network quality;
- developing relevant digital services;
- addressing barriers that discourage people from using the internet regularly.
For Africa overall, the answer may not lie in building more network towers. What may matter more is having a larger number of people who can pay to get online, own the devices needed to do so and find real reasons to keep using the internet. Over time, how well Nigeria closes this gap could decide how much of its expanding digital economy reaches those who remain outside it.
