Telecom
GSMA Report Shows Barriers for 3.45B Unconnected People Remain as Mobile Internet Connectivity Continues to Grow

The benefits of mobile connectivity have yet to be fully realised as 43% of the global population – equivalent to 3.45 billion people – still do not use mobile internet, according to the latest GSMA‘State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2024’ report.
While the proportion of the global population using mobile internet on their own device continues to increase annually, the rate of user growth is slowing. 160 million people started using mobile internet last year, similar to 2022 levels but a drop from 2015-2021 when more than 200 million new users were added each year.
The new report – funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) via the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation – highlights the barriers to getting more people using mobile internet services and the ongoing need for collaboration between governments, mobile network operators and international organisations.
Closing the gaps
The latest report outlines the overall connectivity gap – that is, the combination of the usage and coverage gaps – and its findings include:
. 4.6 billion people (57% of the global population) are now using mobile internet on their own device
. 350 million people (4% of the global population) live in largely remote areas without mobile internet networks (the coverage gap)
. 3.1 billion people (39% of the global population) live within mobile internet coverage but do not use it (the usage gap). The usage gap is nine times the size of the coverage gap
The least connected region globally is Sub-Saharan Africa, where only 27% of the population are using mobile internet services, leaving a 13% coverage gap and a 60% usage gap
The biggest challenge remains the usage gap. Getting these people online would be worth an estimated $3.5 trillion to the global economy during 2023-2030, with 90% of this impact benefiting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
The coverage gap predominantly exists in rural, poor and sparsely populated areas – often less developed, landlocked, or small island developing states. An estimated $418 billion in investment is needed to build the infrastructure required to achieve universal mobile internet access.
Breaking barriers
For the unconnected in LMICs, device affordability and digital skills and literacy are the main barriers to mobile internet adoption.
In these countries, entry-level internet-enabled devices cost 18% of average monthly income, with this rising to 51% for the world’s poorest 20%. In Sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for a quarter of the global unconnected population, this rises to 99% of average monthly income for the region’s poorest 20%.
A lack of digital skills and literacy is the second-biggest barrier overall, but the top issue in Asian countries surveyed as part of the new report. The other established barriers to people using mobile internet are a lack of relevant, localised content and services, concerns over safety and security, and limited access to additional critical infrastructure and services such as electricity.
Enabling meaningful connectivity
While the majority of people who use mobile internet do so daily, it is typically for only a relatively small number of the most popular use cases. An average of 43% of mobile internet users in surveyed countries reported wanting to use it more. A challenge therefore remains in enabling meaningful connectivity and driving true digital inclusion.
Among those already using mobile internet, the most commonly reported barriers to increased usage include safety and security concerns, affordability (particularly of data but also handsets) and the connectivity experience.
Moreover, while the vast majority of people worldwide now access the internet on a 4G or 5G smartphone, one in five mobile internet subscribers are still using 3G smartphones or a feature phone. This reaches more than a third in Latin America & the Caribbean and MENA and almost two thirds in Sub-Saharan Africa, limiting the range and depth of online and digital experience among users.
John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer at the GSMA, said: “While progress continues to be made in improving infrastructure and in increasing mobile internet adoption, significant digital divides exist.
“In addition, although most users access mobile internet daily, their activities are often limited to just one or two activities, even though many express a desire to do more.
“This highlights persistent barriers – affordability, lack of skills and literacy, concerns around safety and security and a lack of relevant content and services – that prevent users from getting online and then using mobile internet to meet their life needs once they are online.
“Governments, mobile operators, and international organisations must collaborate to address barriers such as affordability, digital skills, and awareness of mobile internet and the benefits it can provide. This effort must also focus on investing in local, digital ecosystems and ensuring robust online safety frameworks.”
Telecom
Flutterwave Announces Massive Staff Shake-Up, Promotes Over 100 Employees

Flutterwave has announced a company-wide employee support package that includes promotions for about 25 per cent of its global workforce, a one-off economic relief payment and enhanced support measures for employees in Nigeria.

The fintech company said more than 100 employees across its global operations had been promoted as part of efforts to reward performance and strengthen employee welfare.
In addition, all staff worldwide will receive a one-time economic relief payment, while employees in Nigeria will benefit from additional tax support and cost-of-living adjustments following recent regulatory changes affecting take-home pay.
The company said the initiative was introduced in response to rising living costs across key markets, particularly in Nigeria, where inflation and increased transportation expenses have placed pressure on household incomes.
Speaking on the development, Olugbenga Agboola, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Flutterwave, described employees as the driving force behind the company’s growth and innovation.
“I often say our people are our secret sauce. They are the ultimate engine behind everything we build, giving us the capacity to create solutions that power businesses, unlock opportunities and move money seamlessly across Africa and beyond,” he said.
According to the company, the support measures form part of its broader strategy to improve staff welfare, retain talent and create an environment where employees can focus on their work without undue financial pressure.
Also speaking, Annette Akpolo said the initiative reflects a balance between rewarding individual performance and addressing the collective needs of employees.
“Our goal has always been to build an environment where our people can focus on doing their best work, rather than being weighed down by economic anxiety.
“Pairing merit-based individual growth with supporting the collective needs of the whole team are both essential parts of how we build a company culture where people genuinely want to stay and grow over the long term,” she said.
Founded in 2016, Flutterwave is marking its 10th anniversary in 2026.
The company disclosed that it has processed more than one billion transactions and facilitated over 40 billion dollars in total payment value globally since inception.
Flutterwave also reported strong growth across its payment channels, including a 289 per cent increase in wallet-based collections by transaction volume and a 184 per cent rise in bank transfer value over the past year.
The company attributed the growth to increasing adoption of local payment methods across its operating markets.
Industry observers note that the latest employee support package comes amid increasing competition for skilled talent in Nigeria’s fintech sector, where firms are adjusting compensation and benefits to retain workers in the face of rising living costs.
Agboola said future growth opportunities within the company would continue to be based on performance, leadership and meaningful contributions to its mission.
“At Flutterwave, growth is earned through meaningful contributions to the business and to the mission we are building together.
“As we continue to grow, the people who will shape our future are those who consistently step up, solve hard problems, support others and move the company forward,” he said.
Telecom
NCC Retains Rudman as Chair of Newly Inaugurated IPv6 Council Board, Urges Advancement of Nigeria’s Digital Migration

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has officially inaugurated the new board of the Nigerian Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) Council in Ikeja, Lagos. Mr. Muhammed Rudman, Chief Executive Officer of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), will continue to serve as Chairman.

This inauguration marks a significant milestone for Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, as global demand for IPv4 now exceeds the available IPv4 address space.
Following the event, Rudman acknowledged the contributions of former board members, including Olusola Teniola (former President, ATCON), Funke Opeke (Founder, MainOne), Mary Uduma (former President, NiRA), and Lanre Ajayi (past President, ATCON), emphasizing that their involvement was instrumental in establishing the nation’s foundational IPv6 migration efforts.
Rudman noted that membership in the IPv6 Council is institution-based. The reconstituted board includes Mr. Muhammed Rudman as Chairman and a representative from the NCC as Co-Chairman. Institutional representatives from NITDA, ATCON, NIRA, ALTON, ISPON, and NgREN serve as board members, with Dr. Chris Uwaje and Prof. Latif Ladid acting as Advisers. This group is responsible for leading the nationwide migration from IPv4 to IPv6.
“The transition to IPv6 is a strategic national priority. It is essential for enabling Nigeria’s digital transformation, economic growth, and global competitiveness. The council’s strategy identifies IPv6 as a primary catalyst for national development, focusing on three pillars: supporting emerging technologies such as 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT), promoting economic diversification, and providing enhanced security and performance compared to legacy solutions such as Network Address Translation (NAT),” Rudman stated.
To achieve these objectives, the council’s action plan is structured around two primary initiatives: awareness-raising and capacity-building. The board will prioritize promoting national awareness of IPv6 through targeted events and workshops, while also providing IPv6 training to network engineers across various operators, including ISPs, telecommunications companies, educational institutions, and financial organizations. These efforts are expected to facilitate the acquisition and deployment of IPv6 throughout Nigerian networks.
The council will develop and oversee the national IPv6 strategy, monitor adoption across sectors, and report regularly to the Federal Government. Additionally, the council will identify technical challenges, strengthen local engineering capacity, and recommend regulatory measures to encourage ISPs, telecommunications operators, academic institutions, and enterprises to upgrade.
With the Nigeria IPv6 Council now operational, local enterprises and network providers are required to upgrade their systems to sustain the nation’s position in the global digital landscape.
Telecom
MTN, ALTON, Upperlink, NiRA back 2026 Nigeria DigitalSENSE forum, awards

Leading telecommunications, technology, and internet governance stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the 16th milestone edition of the annual Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D), scheduled to hold on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the Welcome Centre Hotels, Ikeja-Lagos.

The high-profile convergence, organized by pioneer tech-media firm ITREALMS Media and hosted by DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA); an ICANN-certified At-Large Structure, will center its discourse on the national theme: “Sustaining WSIS Vision with Multistakeholder Synergy in Nigeria.”
Confirming their corporate backing and institutional participation are industry giants including ICT infrastructure leader MTN Nigeria; the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON); premier software and DNS infrastructure firm Upperlink Limited; and the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA).
Speaking on the preparations, the Lead Convener of NDSF and Group Executive Editor of ITREALMS Media Group, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, KSM, stated that the 2026 forum marks a crucial trajectory in examining how local multi-stakeholder synergy can sustain the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) frameworks to accelerate Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) and domain economy.
“We are delighted to have the robust support of critical ecosystem drivers like MTN, ALTON, Upperlink, and NiRA. Their participation underscores the vital importance of multi-stakeholder dialogue in addressing contemporary policy, infrastructure growth, digital rights, and the transition into more advanced, secure digital spaces,” Nweke said.
A major highlight of this year’s forum will be that it will hold under the distinguished chairmanship of industry veteran, Dr. Olusola Teniola (hon), as approved by the Board of Directorate and the Central Committee. Under his chairmanship, the forum will also feature the presentation of the prestigious DigitalSENSE Africa 2026 awards to distinguished players in the ecosystem and corporate technology landscape across the continent.
The forum’s comprehensive agenda will feature high-level plenaries and technical sessions led by seasoned industry experts. Key areas of discourse will cut across the role of regulatory organs in the digital economy, bridging innovation gaps, leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for SME growth, digital rights, and data protection.
The organizers have invited additional internet stakeholders, including civil society organizations (CSOs), academia, young innovators, women in tech, and industry professionals, to maximize the networking and advocacy windows presented by this 16th edition.
With corporate sponsorship tiers spanning Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze partnerships now actively filling up, corporate brand materials and production collaterals are expected to reach the NDSF secretariat on or before Thursday, June 4, 2026, to guarantee technical alignment.
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