Mobile internet subscription up nearly 9% YoY
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Mobile internet subscription rose 8.94 per cent from 141.62 million in 2021 to 154.28 million in 2022 as internet access grew, new data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has shown.
MTN made the highest gain, up 11.57 per cent to 65.62 million from 58.81 million in 2021, followed by Airtel which grew 9.72 per cent to 41.18 million from 37.53 million, and Globacom 8.92 per cent from 39.53 million to 43.05 million.
9mobile was the only major mobile operator that witnessed a decline with a 22.94 per cent drop to 4.43 million from 5.75 million in 2021.
“As the primary way most people access the internet in Sub-Saharan Africa, mobile is driving digital inclusion,” Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) said in ‘The Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa 2022’ report.
“This delivers significant economic benefits, reduces poverty, and transforms lives by providing people with access to a range of life-enhancing services.
“By the end of 2021, around 40 per cent of the adult population in Sub-Saharan Africa subscribed to mobile internet services.
“Although this figure is a marked increase from the 35 per cent at the start of the pandemic, it still lags behind the global average of 70 per cent by a considerable margin.”
Mobile technologies and services generated about $140 billion, around 8 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) across Africa, GSMA added, per The PUNCH.
“The mobile ecosystem also supported more than 3.2 million jobs (directly and indirectly) and made a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector, with $16bn raised through taxes on the sector.
“By 2025, mobile’s contribution will grow by approximately $16bn (to almost $155bn), as the countries in the region increasingly benefit from the improvements in productivity and efficiency brought about by the increased take-up of mobile services.”
“Mobile connectivity has the potential to accelerate Sub-Saharan Africa’s digital transformation and drive socioeconomic advancement, but realising this potential requires policy measures to support network investments and improve the affordability of digital services for consumers.”
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Smartphones enable digital participation
The price of smartphones rose 10 per cent in the third quarter of 2022 (Q2022), according to research by Counterpoint’s Market Monitor Service, per The PUNCH.
An Alliance for Affordable Internet (AAI) report disclosed only about 44 per cent of Nigerians had access to smartphones in 2022.
AAI, which monitors internet access globally, said smartphones continue to be unaffordable for a large portion of the population.
“Smartphones enable digital participation – but they remain unaffordable for many around the world and especially in low and middle-income countries.
“For 2.5 billion people worldwide, buying the cheapest available smartphones would cost more than 30 per cent of their monthly income.
“Although the cost of a smartphone (expressed as a percentage of average monthly income) dropped two percentage points between 2021 and 2022. They remain unaffordable for many people, especially women and people living in rural areas.
“Making matters worse, in some regions smartphones actually became even more unaffordable over the last year. On average, the cost of the cheapest available smartphones in South Asia increased over 20 per cent between 2021 and 2022.”
The World Bank has predicted a10 per cent increase in mobile broadband penetration in a country like Nigeria could lead to a 2.46 per cent growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Broadband subscription grew 15.83 per cent from 78.04 million in 2021 to 90.39 million in 2022.
Abuja plans to raise broadband penetration to 50 per cent in 2023 from 47.36 per cent in 2022.