Internet use has rapidly evolved in Africa over the last few years. In 2022, the continent recorded about 570 million internet users, double the figures recorded in 2015. The continent’s most populous nation, Nigeria records the highest number of internet users, amounting to over 100 million. Nigeria is closely followed by Egypt (76 million) and South Africa (41 million).
In recent years, the improvement of telecommunication infrastructure and the growing adoption of mobile devices has contributed to the expansion of internet access in Africa. This growing internet accessibility in the continent has promoted digital services and activities like online shopping, social media, and mobile payments. However, Africa is yet to achieve its full digital potential as internet access is still a major problem for many Africans.
Internet Growth and Development in Africa
Africa is leading the world in internet growth, with the number of internet users growing at a tremendous rate. From 2018 to 2022, the rate of internet use in the continent grew by 44%, which is 10-20% faster than any other region in the world. But what’s behind this huge expansion of internet access in Africa?
Today, people spend a lot of time online watching video content, playing video games, and interacting with their friends and family. These activities require a lot of data and it’s one of the main reasons why the use of the Internet is growing significantly in Africa. Businesses are also contributing to the increasing demand for reliable internet in the region.
Compared to a decade ago, people are spending more time online and are engaging in bandwidth-intensive activities like online gaming at maplecasino.ca/casino-games/online-roulette/ . During the early stages of the internet, people mainly went online to browse web pages and send emails, but that has changed significantly. That’s because social media and media streaming sites have also largely contributed to internet growth.
Modernizing African Internet
Before 2009, people in South Africa had to use ADSL internet. This type of internet connection uses copper telephone lines and it was the only way that people could enjoy broadband internet. However, everything changed after July 2009 when the SEACOM cable was launched. The SEACOM fiber optic cable made high-speed internet available in many South African businesses and homes for the first time.
After the first subsea cable connected East and South Africa to the world, more cables followed suit. There’s also been a huge investment in the connectivity infrastructure, which is helping customers enjoy the internet at competitive prices. That means that more Africans are getting access to better internet connections at cheaper prices, which is great news for people who spend a lot of time watching films online, studying, or running businesses.
Getting More Africans Online
While Africa is spearheading the growth of internet access in the world, many people in the continent still can’t access affordable internet. Many people in the region are still struggling to meet their daily needs and the internet is still considered to be a luxury item in many households. However, the South African government is hoping to tackle this issue by offering universal internet access to their residents by 2024.
Many governments in the continent are also launching zero-rated content for government websites to allow people to access essential services without mobile data. For instance, UNESCO is involved in an initiative that gives learners and teachers zero-rated internet access in different African countries.
Categories: News
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
