Digital Connectivity Among African Women Jumps to 38%, Narrowing Gender Gap: ITU Study
Roughly 38% of women across Africa are active internet users in 2026, narrowing the distance with men at 45%, according to the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) November 2026 report, Measuring digital development: Facts and Figures.
This marks a dramatic expansion from 2020, when only 23% of African women had access. Over this six-year window, female connectivity climbed by 15 percentage points, slightly outpacing the 14-percentage-point increase seen among men, who rose from 31% to 45%. The faster pace of adoption highlights how women are actively leveraging tech advancements to participate in the evolving digital economy.
While a 7% gender gap still persists on the continent, the data reflects how African women are overcoming institutional barriers and dismantling cultural biases. Traditional assumptions often framed digital devices as a male interest or assumed women had little desire for technological literacy. In practice, the findings indicate that whenever access becomes viable, women embrace it more quickly than men.
In sub-Saharan Africa, significant economic headwinds—including wage gaps and limited financial autonomy—continue to complicate access, particularly given that smartphones and subscriptions demand a hefty share of limited household earnings. Despite these obstacles, women who secure access treat data as a critical utility rather than a luxury, frequently buying large data packages and actively streaming or browsing on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Netflix.
On a global scale, the gender divide is even tighter. In 2026, 74% of women and 79% of men worldwide are online, with both demographics expanding by an identical 16 percentage points since 2020.
Across Africa, younger generations are at the forefront of digital adoption. An estimated 60% of youth aged 15 to 24 are connected, outstripping the rest of the continent’s population, where adoption stands at 37%. Because around 60% of Africa’s population is under 25, this demographic is the primary catalyst behind the surging demand for high-speed connectivity. When high equipment prices present a hurdle, adolescents aged 15 to 20 routinely bridge the gap by borrowing mobile devices from peers and relatives.
Internationally, 86% of individuals aged 15 to 24 are online in 2026, compared to 76% of older age brackets. Youth connectivity peaks in wealthier regions, reaching 98% in Europe and 99% across high-income economies.
In total, 76% of the global population—representing roughly 6.3 billion individuals—is connected in 2026, up from 74% (6.1 billion) in 2025 as yearly growth ticked up to 3%. Despite this progress, financial barriers keep approximately 2 billion individuals offline, leaving low-income countries with only 32% penetration compared to 93% in advanced economies.
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