The GSMA and the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA) have launched a new roadmap aimed at helping one billion Africans connect meaningfully to the internet by 2030.
The roadmap, titled Advancing Digital Connectivity in Africa: Charting Africa’s Path to 1 Billion Connected People by 2030, was launched on September 21, 2026, in New York during the United Nations General Assembly. It focuses on increasing actual internet usage across the continent rather than concentrating only on expanding mobile network coverage.
According to the GSMA, Africa has a large mobile internet usage gap. About 906 million people, representing almost 60 per cent of the continent’s population, live within areas covered by mobile broadband networks but do not use mobile internet.
Another 122 million people, representing about eight per cent of Africa’s population, live outside areas covered by mobile broadband networks.
The figures show that expanding network coverage alone may not be enough to bring more Africans online. The new roadmap therefore identifies several areas where governments, telecommunications companies, investors and development organisations can work together.
One of the major priorities is accelerating the movement from older 2G and 3G connections to 4G and 5G smartphones.
The GSMA estimates that more than 600 million legacy mobile connections could be converted into meaningful internet use through the adoption of newer smartphones and faster networks.
The organisation said the transition would require affordable smartphones and mobile services that consumers can access regularly.
The roadmap also highlights the importance of electricity. According to the GSMA and PDAA, reliable energy is necessary not only for telecommunications infrastructure but also for consumers who need to charge their phones and use digital services.
The organisations are therefore calling for greater coordination between investments in electricity and connectivity infrastructure.
Another priority is reducing the cost of extending services to rural and underserved communities.
The roadmap proposes measures including shared infrastructure, new technologies, public funding based on measurable outcomes and partnerships involving schools, healthcare facilities and other public institutions.
The report also emphasises that digital inclusion depends on more than infrastructure.
Affordable and quality smartphones, practical digital skills, online safety, locally relevant content and reliable digital services are also considered important to encouraging people to use the internet.
GSMA Chief Regulatory Officer and GSMA Foundation President John Giusti said Africa had already developed much of the network infrastructure required for its digital future but needed to focus more strongly on closing the gap between network availability and actual usage.
The roadmap was developed using analysis of 11 African markets: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda.
The analysis found that different countries require different approaches.
Some markets need more investment in rural network coverage and electricity, while others need to address smartphone affordability, digital skills or access to useful online services.
The report estimates that halving the mobile internet usage gap across the 11 markets could bring approximately 245 million additional people online.
Nigeria is among the countries included in the assessment. According to Semafor, reducing usage gaps in Ethiopia, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo could collectively bring about 170 million additional people online.
The initiative is also expected to involve stronger cooperation between governments, private companies, development organisations and investors.
PDAA will serve as a platform for stakeholders to coordinate investment plans, reduce duplication and support solutions that can be expanded across different African markets.
The organisations also want progress to be measured by how people actually use digital services, rather than simply by the number of telecommunications towers or kilometres of fibre deployed.
Such measures could include internet use for education, healthcare, financial services, government services and business activities.
PDAA CEO Ibrahima Guimba-Saïdou said Africa’s digital future could not depend on connectivity alone, noting that reliable energy, affordable devices, digital skills and useful services are also necessary for meaningful participation.
The initiative comes as digital connectivity becomes increasingly important to Africa’s economies. Businesses, banks, governments, schools and healthcare providers are increasingly relying on digital platforms to provide services and reach customers.
Closing the usage gap could therefore expand opportunities for businesses and consumers while supporting wider participation in the digital economy.
The GSMA and PDAA said achieving the one-billion-user target would require coordinated action across infrastructure, energy, smartphones, skills, safety and digital services.
The roadmap provides a framework for stakeholders to coordinate those efforts over the coming years as Africa works towards its 2030 connectivity ambition.
