An estimated 5.5 billion people worldwide were online in 2024, but connectivity remained a significant challenge in low-income countries, where only 27 per cent of the population had internet access.
This is according to the latest figures from the International Telecommunication Union.
The ITU’s “Facts and Figures 2024” report revealed that while global internet use has surged, reaching 68 per cent of the world’s population, low-income nations continue to face severe connectivity barriers.
This digital divide is compounded by regional disparities, with least developed countries and landlocked developing countries showing similarly low connectivity rates—35 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively.
Meanwhile in Nigeria, internet penetration increased to 42.24 per cent in October 2024, up from 41.56 per cent in September, according to the latest report by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The ITU Secretary-General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, stated, “Facts and Figures 2024 is a tale of two digital realities between high-income and low-income countries.
“Stark gaps in critical connectivity indicators are cutting off the most vulnerable people from online access to information, education and employment opportunities. This report is a reminder that true progress in our interconnected world isn’t just about how fast we move forward but about making sure everyone moves forward together.”
In total, an estimated 2.6 billion people were offline in 2024, accounting for 32 per cent of the world’s population. This is down from the newly revised estimate of 2.8 billion for 2023, which represents 35 per cent of the population.
The Director of ITU’s Telecommunications Development Bureau, Cosmas Zavazava, said, “The world is inching towards universal access at a time that it should be sprinting.”
“While we continue to make progress on connectivity, our advances mask significant gaps in the world’s most vulnerable communities, where digital exclusion makes life even more challenging.
“We must intensify our efforts to remove the barriers that keep people offline and close the usage gap and renew our commitment to achieving universal and meaningful connectivity so that everyone can access the internet.”