Despite progress in digital policy and infrastructure, Ethiopia remains the least connected of the countries surveyed in RIA’s latest After Access report series. With nearly 85% of the adult population offline and wide gender, income, and urban-rural divides, the report highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to bridge the country’s deep digital gaps.
The data reveals that access to the internet is heavily shaped by structural inequalities — education, income, location, and gender all play significant roles in determining who gets online, how often, and for what purpose. While mobile internet access is growing, meaningful connectivity remains elusive for the majority. The report also highlights challenges around digital skills, device affordability, and infrastructure — including electricity access — that continue to limit the potential of digitalisation for inclusive development.
Based on nationally representative survey data, the Ethiopia report offers a comprehensive demand- and supply-side analysis of ICT access and use, examining structural barriers to digital inclusion and spotlighting opportunities for policy action to drive equitable digital transformation.
