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Zimbabwe has been reported as the continent’s third African nation with the most affordable broadband data.
By Ross Moyo
The country owes this cheap broadband to its largest supplier of broadband, Liquid Intelligent led by its Regional boss Wellington Makamure which has augured well, hand in glove government’s drive through the national Telcos regulator, Postal Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) and parent ICT Ministry led by Minister Dr Tatenda Mavetera.
According to Cable.co.uk, Zimbabwe’s country average cost is USD$9.64 broadband cost per month which makes it 11th worldwide on its Global rankings.
This report puts the Southern African Development Community SADC country as in top three amongst other top 10 African countries with the most affordable broadband internet.
The list ranks Sudan number 1 on the continent.
Zimbabwe’s tech ecosystem like it’s peers in Africa is rapidly growing, with Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs), startups and even the informal sector becoming more and more reliant on the internet for operations. This status of third on the continent for cheap broadband allows for a similarly rapid adoption of this new found tech revolution.
The vitality of an affordable broadband service cannot be overstated which is why some countries on the continent have ensured that its citizens would be able to access the internet for as little cost as possible.
The following are top 10 of these countries, according to the Global broadband pricing league table 2024 report by Cable, a UK based company which offers extensive pricing comparisons and expert evaluations to help people make informed decisions regarding their telecom requirements.
Rank Country Average cost of broadband per month Global rank
1. Sudan $2.40 1st
2. Egypt $8.31 5th
3. Zimbabwe $9.64 11th
4. Republic of Congo $12.62 20th
5. Tunisia $15.01 23rd
6. Eswatini $15.90 29th
7. Ethiopia $18.46 40th
8. Libya $19.07 42nd
9. Algeria $20.80 47th
10. Nigeria $21.89 51stp
The impact of making broadband accessible and affordable can be profound, driving transformative changes that benefit individuals, businesses, and entire economies, particularly on a youthful continent like Africa.
Referred to as the dark continent, Africa’s population is young, with some countries having more than 50% of their population under the age of 25. This group has tremendous potential for creativity, entrepreneurship, and social change.
Affordable internet, not only provides relief for this demographic young still trying to get a foothold on their finances, but it also ensures that they have access to a vast pool of resources and networks to aid in their respective journeys.
Zimbabwe and its continent is home to a thriving tech ecosystem, with businesses and tech centers popping up all across the continent. Nevertheless, the barrier to this trend in some African countries, is access to the internet, particularly in the rural regions. One of the most effective approaches to solving the issue of internet penetration in several African countries is to ensure affordability and Zimbabwe has answered that question coming third.
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