Less than 20% of households in low income counties own a computer

Uzezi Samuel

A new World Bank report says, less than 20% of households in low-income countries like Nigeria, Mali, Mozambique, amongst others do not have a computer.

The report sheds light on the digital divide between low and high-income countries and its impact on the economy, business, and income.

The World Bank’s digital trend report for 2023 mirrored the digital divide across gender, age groups, income groups, and rural and urban populations.

The report stated, “In contrast, fewer than 20 per cent of households in the Kyrgyz Republic, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, and Nigeria owned a computer. Computer ownership is higher in other lower-income countries, although it is heavily skewed toward urban households, as in Angola, Bhutan, or Niger.”

According to the report, the cost of broadband subscriptions across high and middle-income countries has been stable since 2020 but has risen significantly in low-income countries.

For example, in low-income countries, the median price of a fixed broadband plan was 50% higher than in high-income countries as of 2022.

Furthermore, the report alluded to the cost of smartphones as a barrier to bridging the digital divide across geographical populations and income groups.

Among the lowest income groups, the cheapest smartphones cost around 14 per cent of their annual income for persons living under $2 per day. This result in 49 per cent smartphone ownership in low-income countries compared to 95% in high-income countries.

Internet subscriptions in Nigeria rose by 5.81 per cent to 163.8 million year-on-year between 2022 and 2023 according to the NBS report.

This indicates progress towards digital inclusion and connectivity in the country. Nigeria’s young population holds huge potential for opportunities in the digital space.

However, structural issues such as poor and inadequate infrastructure and income of the populace act as barriers inhibiting this growth.