Even though broadband has developed rapidly in Africa in the past five years, access costs are still high, limiting its adoption.
According to the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), only a handful of countries set themselves apart with services that meet users’ needs at decent prices.
The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) has disclosed that although Internet data services remain high in Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Rwanda offer the cheapest tariffs on the continent.As at the end of 2018, it ranked Nigeria as the second country after Egypt with the lowest tariff in Africa.
A4AI reveals that Egypt is the best African country that offers mobile broadband at the most affordable price. The country offers 1GB at 1.12112 US dollars. Equatorial Guinea is the worst with 1GB at 34.80 US dollars.
According to the AIA4, the cost in Egypt also has less impact on the gross national income and only represents 0.45% of this indicator. In Equatorial Guinea, on the other hand, mobile broadband is a luxury good.
The second African country that offers the most affordable mobile broadband is Sudan where 1GB of mobile broadband is $1.20. Rwanda, which realized important investments since 2015 to cover 90% of its regions with the 4G, is also among the best countries with 1G at $2.80.
Mobile broadband access costs in Africa in 2018 (in US dollars)
| Counrties | 100MB | 500MB | 1GB | 2GB | 5GB | 10GB |
| Algeria | 6.73 | 6.73 | 6.73 | 12.61 | 16.81 | 16.81 |
| Angola | 3.26 | 6.52 | 16.30 | 32.60 | 81.49 | 81.49 |
| Benin | 1.74 | 3.48 | 5.22 | 6.96 | 7.83 | 13.05 |
| Botswana | 5.59 | 8.84 | 8.84 | 13.50 | 44.22 | 62.84 |
| Burkina Faso | 2.26 | 5.64 | 7.52 | 12.29 | 17.55 | 33.35 |
| Burundi | 0.55 | 2.61 | 3.30 | 3.56 | 12.17 | 16.60 |
| Cameroon | 1.48 | 3.48 | 3.48 | 5.22 | 13.92 | 17.40 |
| cape Verde | 5.17 | 5.17 | 5.17 | 5.17 | 5.17 | NA |
| Central African Republic | 7.46 | 7.46 | 11.19 | 17.40 | 26.10 | 43.50 |
| Chad | 5.22 | 12.18 | 12.18 | 18.64 | 20.88 | 60.91 |
| Comoros | 6.08 | 6.08 | 6.08 | 9.26 | 19.85 | 23.16 |
| Congo Brazzaville | 1.78 | 1.78 | 4.45 | 4.45 | 35.64 | 35.64 |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 3.51 | 3.51 | 8.78 | 8.78 | 17.55 | 26.33 |
| D.R. Congo | 8.57 | 8.57 | 20.00 | 20.00 | 40.00 | 60.00 |
| Egypt | 0.28 | 0.56 | 1.12 | 2.23 | 4.47 | 8.37 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 26.10 | 34.80 | 34.80 | 69.59 | NA | NA |
| Ethiopia | 1.96 | 1.96 | 3.56 | 6.76 | 21.35 | 24.91 |
| Gabon | 5.22 | 5.22 | 6.96 | 10.44 | 26.10 | 26.10 |
| Gambia | 0.91 | 2.95 | 5.08 | 10.06 | 19.71 | 26.41 |
| Ghana | 0.88 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 8.19 | 16.38 | 24.57 |
| Guinea | 4.75 | 4.75 | 4.75 | 6.48 | 9.81 | 20.50 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 5.22 | 7.46 | 15.66 | 17.40 | 17.40 | 26.10 |
| Kenya | 2.08 | 4.86 | 4.86 | 4.86 | 9.72 | 19.45 |
| Lesotho | 4.80 | 4.80 | 4.80 | 8.41 | 18.22 | 28.03 |
| Liberia | 1.15 | 5.75 | 5.75 | 11.50 | 27.60 | 27.60 |
| Libya | 3.03 | 9.10 | 11.32 | 11.32 | 17.70 | 17.70 |
| Madagascar | 2.86 | 3.67 | 7.14 | 7.14 | NA | NA |
| Malawi | 1.79 | 3.57 | 4.86 | 6.95 | 14.59 | 21.54 |
| Mali | 3.48 | 3.48 | 8.70 | 8.70 | 17.40 | NA |
| Mauritius | 5.94 | 5.94 | 5.94 | 8.46 | 14.12 | 28.28 |
| Morocco | 5.28 | 5.28 | 5.28 | 5.28 | 5.28 | 10.5 |
| Mozambique | 0.49 | 2.10 | 3.50 | 4.90 | 8.17 | 16.35 |
| Namibia | 4.48 | 11.02 | 11.02 | 11.02 | 54.76 | 54.76 |
| Niger | 3.48 | 3.48 | 3.48 | 7.46 | 14.92 | 17.4 |
| Nigeria | 2.74 | 2.74 | 2.74 | 5.48 | 9.59 | 13.70 |
| Rwanda | 2.80 | 2.80 | 2.80 | 3.36 | 5.59 | 11.18 |
| Senegal | 2.61 | 3.48 | 3.48 | 3.48 | 8.70 | 17.40 |
| Sierra Leone | 2.75 | 14.34 | 14.34 | 14.34 | 23.89 | 47.79 |
| Somalia | 15.00 | 15.00 | 15.00 | 30.00 | NA | NA |
| South Africa | 2.03 | 6.92 | 10.41 | 14.82 | 27.88 | 41.86 |
| South Sudan | 1.11 | 2.99 | 5.53 | 13.66 | 21.46 | 42.27 |
| Sudan | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.74 | 4.13 | 5.90 |
| Tanzania | 2.18 | 2.18 | 5.62 | 5.62 | 13.10 | 15.29 |
| Togo | 5.22 | 5.22 | 7.83 | 9.70 | 26.10 | 52.20 |
| Tunisia | 3.61 | 3.61 | 3.61 | 3.61 | 5.16 | 8.60 |
| Uganda | 1.48 | 2.69 | 4.04 | 5.38 | 13.46 | 13.46 |
| Zambia | 4.20 | 4.20 | 4.20 | 8.41 | 8.41 | 16.81 |
| Zimbabwe | 3.00 | 12.86 | 15.00 | 30.00 | 30.00 | 60.00 |