Grace Ashiru
In 2024, Africa recorded over 500 million mobile internet users. From Gen Z to baby boomers, each generation is developing its own distinct patterns of web usage.
As of 2024, broadband internet adoption across Africa remains relatively low at 38%, in contrast to the global average of 68%, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Despite this disparity, several African nations are gaining momentum, propelled by ambitious digital transformation policies.
The expansion of network infrastructure, a relative decrease in data prices, and the increasing availability of affordable smartphones have significantly reshaped both the profile of internet users and their digital behavior. Countries like Cameroon, CĂ´te d’Ivoire, and Senegal each display unique traits, yet share striking similarities.
Data from UN agencies and the GSMA show Senegal leading in internet penetration, followed by Cameroon and CĂ´te d’Ivoire. In terms of affordability, CĂ´te d’Ivoire offers the most cost-effective mobile internet access, with its lowest-priced data plans falling below the UN Broadband Commission’s affordability threshold of 2% of monthly gross national income per capita. Meanwhile, mobile phones are most accessible in Senegal, according to GSMA findings.
Youth Dominate Digital Space
Favorable conditions have fueled internet adoption in all three countries. Internet penetration increased by 2.6% in Cameroon, 2.4% in CĂ´te d’Ivoire, and 2.3% in Senegal, according to Kepios’ 2025 Digital Report.
Youth aged 15 to 24 make up the largest segment of mobile internet users in these countries. According to the ITU, this age group accounted for 53% of all internet users in 2024. In Cameroon, they represented around 22% of the national population—a proportion similarly reflected in CĂ´te d’Ivoire and Senegal.
Digital habits among young people remain largely consistent across the globe. Kepios’ data reveals that 62.1% of users aged 15 to 24 primarily go online to communicate with friends and family. Other popular activities include searching for information (61%), watching videos for entertainment (59.3%), listening to music (55.3%), studying (52.4%), and accessing tutorials (51.7%).
Among users aged 25 to 34, these behaviors persist, though interest in news rises slightly. For the 35 to 65+ age group, usage shifts more toward consuming news, conducting information searches, engaging in social communication, viewing tutorials, and accessing health-related content—especially popular among users in their 50s.
