Over 5.5 billion individuals are on-line in 2024, however digital divide persists

The Worldwide Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimates that 5.5 billion individuals are on-line in 2024, marking a rise of 227 million people from 2023.

Regardless of this progress, the ITU’s newest Information and Figures 2024 report highlights the persistent digital divide, notably in low-income international locations, the place entry to the Web stays a big problem.

In line with the report, 68% of the worldwide inhabitants now has Web entry, however about one-third—roughly 2.6 billion individuals stay offline.

Disparities in connection

The report underscores the disparity in Web use between high-income and low-income international locations, with 93% of the inhabitants on-line in high-income international locations in comparison with solely 27% in low-income nations.

“Information and Figures 2024 is a story of two digital realities between high-income and low-income international locations,” mentioned ITU Secretary-Normal Doreen Bogdan-Martin.

“Essentially the most susceptible individuals are being left behind, lacking out on alternatives for training, employment, and knowledge.

“Stark gaps in important connectivity indicators are slicing off essentially the most susceptible individuals from on-line entry to info, training, and employment alternatives.

“This report is a reminder that true progress in our interconnected world isn’t nearly how briskly we transfer ahead, however about ensuring everybody strikes ahead collectively,” Bogdan-Martin added.

Key Findings

The ITU report discovered that Web utilization is considerably increased in city areas (83%) in comparison with rural areas (48%). Of the two.6 billion offline people, 1.8 billion reside in rural areas. The report additionally discovered that:

Whereas progress has been made, males (70%) are nonetheless extra probably than ladies (65%) to make use of the Web globally. In least-developed international locations (LDCs), this hole stays stark.
Youthful people usually tend to be on-line, with 79% of these aged 15–24 utilizing the Web, in comparison with 66% of the broader inhabitants.
Whereas Web entry is changing into cheaper, affordability stays a barrier in low-income international locations, the place a hard and fast broadband subscription can value practically a 3rd of the typical month-to-month earnings.
Cell phone possession has reached 80% of individuals aged 10 and above globally. Nonetheless, in low-income international locations, solely 56% personal a cell phone, in comparison with over 95% in high-income economies.
International 5G protection is estimated at 51% in 2024, however solely 4% of individuals in low-income international locations have entry, in comparison with 84% in high-income international locations.
Web visitors continues to develop, however utilization disparities persist. The common month-to-month cell broadband visitors per subscription in high-income international locations is eight instances increased than in low-income economies.

Name to motion

Commenting on the report, the Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Growth Bureau, Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, emphasised the necessity for accelerated efforts to bridge the digital divide.

“The world is inching in direction of common entry when it ought to be sprinting.

“We should intensify efforts to take away limitations that preserve individuals offline and guarantee common and significant connectivity for all,” he mentioned.

What it’s best to know

Nigeria with over 200 million inhabitants had 132 million lively cell web connections as of September 2024, in accordance with the info revealed by the Nigerian Communications Fee (NCC).
This determine included a number of particular person Nigerians with a number of linked strains, a sign that particular person Nigerians linked to the web won’t be as much as 100 million.
The federal government has additionally reacknowledged that there’s a extensive connectivity hole within the nation, therefore embarking on a nationwide fibre optic undertaking to put a further 90,000 fibre cables throughout the nation to spice up connectivity.