10 African Countries With The Fastest And Most Reliable Internet Providers

Many Africans and African-Americans in the diaspora often have concerns about relocating or investing in Africa. Good, reliable Internet access often tops this list of concerns. This is understandable considering the fact that we are moving to a digital economy where you can work from anywhere. Fast internet connectivity is a significant driver of innovation and productivity on many scales.

Africa is fast developing—albeit not equally—and has some countries with commendable and reliable Internet providers. Therefore, some countries on the continent have access to a fast Internet connection. This has greatly influenced economic, financial, social, and general activities in those countries. If you are skeptical about your next destination, this list will help you to solve that problem. 

Which country has the fastest Internet in Africa?

Madagascar has the most enviable Internet speed on the continent. Although having a population of roughly 28 million, the country has seen an increase in the number of Internet users by more than three hundred thousand between 2019 and 2020 due to its booming tourism sector.

Thankfully, this rise in number comes with an increase in the quality of reliable Internet and broadband. The average download speeds in the country clock over 32.07Mb per second.

Which country has the highest Internet usage in Africa?

When it comes to the highest internet usage, Nigeria tops the chart in Africa. Although the largest Economy in Africa does not make our list of the top African countries with the fastest internet speeds, its more than 126 million Internet users give it a comfortable lead in Africa’s internet accessibility and usage.

Percentage of Africans with access to Reliable Internet

Contrary to the traditional assumption that the continent is still in the dark, data has shown that more than 40% of Africans have access to Internet connectivity. Although this represents only 11.5% of the world’s Internet access, Africa’s telecommunication industry is growing faster, considering this figure was only 4% just a few years back. 

Which African country uses Facebook the most?

When it comes to using the world’s biggest social media platform, Egypt steals the show. Out of its over 54 million Internet users as of Feb 14, 2021, more than 48 million own and use a Facebook account. This figure beats Nigeria to the second position even though the ‘giant of Africa’ has a much larger internet penetration of 95% or more.

Thinking of visiting or relocating to  Africa soon? Here are the top 10 African countries with the fastest and most reliable Internet providers.

10. Senegal

More than half of the 17 million Senegalese population is actively connected to the Internet. The country has an Internet penetration of 56%. The country has also seen a steady climb in its Internet user growth since the early 2000s.

The country’s telecommunication sector was deregulated in 2004 and has seen a rise in investments, infrastructure, and entrepreneurial opportunities. If you are in Senegal, your average will be around 18.65 megabytes per second.

9. Mauritius

Mauritius is a hub of tourism and business opportunities. This is not only because of its beautiful islands and beaches but its reliable internet access. The country’s Internet penetration covers more than 72% of the population (which is roughly 1.2 million).

Mauritius’ dominant Internet provider is Mauritius Telecom, a telecommunication company that offers mobile services and ‘Fibre to the Home” (FTTH) Technologies. The country’s broadband speed is at an average of 19.24 megabytes per second.

8. Togo

Togo struggles with a stable power supply, with most of its electricity needs imported from neighboring countries. Also, only 11.9% of its 8.4 million population is connected to the Internet. This means an internet penetration of just 10.1%.

However, while this all may look unimpressive, the country has pretty ramped-up reliable Internet service. Download speeds in Togo are around 20.14Mbs, with some parts of the county peaking well over this average.

7. Liberia

Liberia is located in West Africa with a population of around 5.1 million. The country has English as its official language and the capital is located in Monrovia. As of December 2020, Liberia had an active Internet user base of 760,994, signifying a 152.098% growth since 2000.

Liberia’s Internet speed is a lot faster than most of its West African counterparts, with an average broadband speed of 21.34 megabytes per second. However, the country’s reliable Internet penetration still stands at 19%—even with the National I.C.T. policy kick-off in 2019.

6. Gabon

The production of oil and mining majorly drives the Economy of Gabon. The dividends from these sectors have been massively invested in Telecommunications, with over 70% of the population having access to mobile Internet.

Fiber optic runs over 1200km around the country, bringing the Internet into homes, schools, and public areas. The country’s average download speed clocks 21.87Mbs at peak periods, which serves its small population of around 2.1 million.

5. South Africa

South Africa is the second-largest economy in the continent after Nigeria. The country’s dominant telecommunication company offers ‘Fibre to the Home’ (FTTH) and other reliable internet networks across the country’s major hubs, driving up internet accessibility.

A rapidly expanding technology base keeps South Africa on the top list with an average broadband speed of 23.17 Mbs and an Internet penetration of more than 57%.

4. Ghana

Ghana’s strong digital economy coupled with its low level of corruption has made it a favorite location for many investors targeting Africa. With a user base of over 14 million, nearly half of Ghana’s 30.4 million population has reliable internet access.

Thus, Internet penetration in this West African nation is 46.5%. The average broadband speed is also impressive at 24.02 megabytes per second.

3. Seychelles 

While Seychelles has a very small population of less than 100,000, this small size is complemented by a very high Human Development Index. The country’s economy is championed by tourism.

To crown it all, it also has expansive Internet penetration covering over 72% of its population. The country’s Internet speed is the third-fastest on the continent at 27.53 megabytes per second. The presence of reliable internet is driving up the country’s economic growth. 

2. Cape Verde

Cape Verde runs a service-based economy mainly due to having only a few natural resources. However, the quality of life and pace of economic growth has transformed the country from a least developed country to one ranked as a M.I.C. (middle income country). Having a speed of 27.53Mb per second, Cape Verde has one of the fastest Internet services on the continent.

1. Madagascar

Madagascar continues to hold the top slot for the most reliable internet access in Africa with a speed of 32.07mbs. Almost double that of Senegal. Although this cannot be compared to the world’s fastest internet speed (Taiwan at 85.02 Mbps), it is good enough to make it one of the world’s top 50 Internet speeds.

Conclusion

Reliable internet access plays a vital role in African nations’ economic growth. Hopefully, this is not stalling anytime soon. While the continent is still up and coming in the Internet world, Africa’s online realm is booming with opportunities.

Have you been to any of the African countries on our list? What was your experience with the Internet service like? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comment box below.