In Africa, out of the total population of about 1.5 billion, there are presently about 600 million
internet users, i.e. about 50%, which is an incredible increase from about 30% in 2020.
There is, however, significant variations in penetration rates across countries, driven by mobile connectivity and infrastructure improvements. Morocco has the highest rate with above 90%, followed by Libya, Seychelles, Nigeria (with over 100 mill users), Egypt (with over 80 mill users) and South Africa (with over 50 mill users and penetration rate about 80%). The number of users continues to grow and is predicted to pass 1.1 billion by 2029.
There are significant differences between urban and rural areas as well as between countries. Many regions still face challenges related to poor infrastructure and high costs of internet services, which can hinder further growth. A substantial portion of internet access in Africa is through mobile devices, with around 3/4 of the web traffic originating from smartphones. This trend is attributed to the lower costs and less infrastructure requirements of mobile connections compared to traditional set-ups.
The newest generation of Wi-Fi technology, Wi-Fi 7, also known as 802.11be or Extremely High Throughput (EHT), is building on Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. It is designed for both indoor and outdoor use, supporting stationery and pedestrian speeds. Since its launch in July 2025, it has been taken into use already in several regions and countries around the world. Wi-Fi 7 represents a significant advancement in wireless connectivity, and only few African countries are ready so far to approve this technology, primarily due to national regulations governing the use of frequency bands.
Countries already accepting Wi-Fi 7 approvals within the frequency bands specified are: Cameroon and Comoros (5.925–7.250 GHz band), Liberia (5.925–7.125 GHz band) and Sierra Leone (which follows ITU WRC recommendations for the region).
Type-approval of the new technologies is subject to compliance with operating/transmitting power limits.
Countries and their authorities which do not yet allow Wi-Fi 7, but have regulatory discussions or studies ongoing are: Egypt (NTRA), Nigeria (NCC) and Ivory Coast (ARTCI).
For further information and/or assistance type approval of telecom equipment for African countries please contact