Research ICT Africa (RIA) conducts quarterly assessments of broadband and voice/SMS basket prices and shares this data on the RAMP Index. The latest data is from the third quarter of 2024, collected with the primary goal of monitoring the most affordable products available in each country’s market. This data provides valuable insights to the public on where to find the lowest-priced mobile data in Africa. RIA’s flagship initiative, After Access, highlights that mobile data costs, along with the price of internet-enabled devices, are key barriers preventing people from getting online. With approximately 2.9 billion people still offline globally, Africa holds the largest percentage of unconnected individuals.
To foster sustainable development and keep up with the growing reliance on the internet, it is crucial to bring as many people online as possible. Raising awareness of mobile data prices across operators in Africa is a significant step in making internet access more affordable, particularly in low-income countries, and is vital for supporting the Sustainable Development Goals.
This report presents a summary of the cost of 1GB monthly data baskets, as advertised by mobile network operators in Q3 2024. While prices are initially collected in local currency, they have been converted to USD for comparison using the average exchange rate for the quarter. We hope this information assists consumers in making informed decisions when selecting the most affordable data packages, thereby enabling them to get online at a lower cost. The graph below illustrates the top 10 and bottom 10 countries in the RAMP index, which ranks the affordability of 1GB of mobile data in Africa (in USD).
Top ten and bottom ten performing operators on the RAMP index for 2024Q3 (Price per 1GB monthly basket in USD)
Source: RIA RAMP Index, 2024Q3
In USD terms, Mauritania offers the cheapest 1GB data basket, valid for a month, at an equivalent of US$0.51 (200 Mauritanian Ouguiya). This basket is offered by Ouguiya through their EzyenNet Packages. The prices of this quarter look cheaper than those of previous quarters since most currencies have depreciated relative to the US dollar. The second cheapest data basket is in Ethiopia, where Ethio Telecom offers a prepaid data bundle for ETB60 (USD0.55). Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda and Madagascar also offered data at prices less than one dollar per monthly basket. The 10th cheapest data basket on the RAMP index is in Tunisia, at an equivalent of USD1.47 per monthly GB. The most expensive 1GB data basket valid for a month was found in Seychelles, provided by Cable and Wireless, where it cost 228.85 Seychelles Rupees per gigabyte, which was equivalent to USD17.70. The second most expensive basket was in South Sudan at an equivalent of USD14.94 and was followed by that which was provided in DRC at an equivalent of USD10.
Research ICT Africa (RIA) produces evidence-based research to support policies and regulations that foster a competitive environment. Our findings indicate that numerous smaller players have exited the market, leaving dominant operators to influence data pricing trends. Regulators play a vital role in ensuring that service providers offer affordable internet access, enabling more people to come online. RIA’s quarterly data pricing insights are invaluable for regulators across Africa, helping them shape policies that promote both competition and affordability.
