Key Findings from ITU’s 2024 Digital Development Report
1. Global Internet Connectivity
- 5.5 billion people (68% of the global population) use the internet in 2024, up from 65% in 2023.
- 2.6 billion people remain offline, with 1.8 billion in rural areas.
- Disparities persist:
- High-income countries: 93% internet use.
- Low-income countries: Only 27% online, despite an 8.5% annual growth rate.
- Africa: 38% internet penetration (lowest globally).
2. Digital Divides
- Gender Gap:
- 70% of men vs. 65% of women use the internet globally (189 million more men online).
- Gender parity achieved in Americas, Europe, and CIS; worst in LDCs (score: 0.70).
- Urban-Rural Gap:
- 83% urban vs. 48% rural internet use globally.
- Africa’s rural areas lag severely (23% online vs. 57% urban).
- Youth (15–24 years): 79% online, but gaps shrink as older groups adopt technology.
3. Affordability
- Mobile broadband prices dropped to 1.1% of GNI per capita globally, but:
- Low-income countries pay 19× more than high-income ones for mobile data.
- Fixed broadband costs 31% of GNI per capita in low-income nations (vs. 1.1% in high-income).
- Broadband Commission’s 2025 affordability target (2% of GNI) missed by half of low/middle-income economies.
4. Infrastructure & Technology
- 5G Coverage: 51% globally, but uneven:
- 84% in high-income countries vs. 4% in low-income.
- Urban (67%) vs. rural (29%) 5G access.
- 3G+/4G: 96% global coverage, but 14% of Africans lack mobile broadband access.
- Traffic Growth:
- Mobile broadband traffic hit 1.3 zettabytes (ZB) in 2024 (19.6% annual growth).
- High-income users consume 8× more mobile data monthly than low-income users.
5. Digital Skills
- Communication skills are strongest (80%+ of users proficient).
- Gaps in safety, content creation, and problem-solving skills, especially in developing nations.
- Only 40 countries provided comparable skill data, highlighting measurement challenges.
6. Policy & Commitments
- ITU emphasizes universal, meaningful connectivity (aligned with SDG 9 and the Global Digital Compact).
- WTDC-25 (2025) will focus on closing gaps via infrastructure investment, affordability, and data collection.
While global connectivity is improving, deep inequalities persist across income levels, gender, geography, and skills. The report calls for urgent action to bridge divides, particularly in affordability, rural access, and digital literacy, to ensure no one is left behind in the digital era.
For interactive data and regional breakdowns, visit the ITU’s online report.
