African Nations Adopt Strategic Plan to Lower Internet and Smartphone Costs Across the Continent

African countries have officially adopted a continent-wide strategy aimed at significantly lowering internet tariffs, expanding access to affordable smartphones, and introducing flexible, modern regulatory frameworks. The agreement, finalized at the 7th Ordinary Session of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Abuja, is embodied in the 2026 Abuja Declaration on Meaningful Connectivity for Africa.

The declaration focuses on accelerating broadband infrastructure expansion while lowering data costs for everyday consumers. Member states committed to technology-neutral policies that allow fiber, satellite, mobile, and community networks to co-exist and compete fairly. Additionally, the plan prioritizes strengthening cybersecurity, enhancing consumer protection, and promoting digital literacy among youth, women, persons with disabilities, and rural communities.

Data presented at the summit by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) highlights the stark gap between network availability and actual usage across Africa:

Mobile Broadband Coverage: Reaches 86% of the continent’s population.

Active Internet Usage: Sits at just 36% of the population.

Data Costs: Average mobile data costs stand at 4.2% of monthly household income, well above the international target of 2%. Fixed broadband exceeds 15% in several regions.

Unused Funding: Over $265 million in Universal Service Funds remains unspent across 12 African nations.

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin noted that bridging this divide requires actionable policies, emphasizing that dormant funds could immediately support last-mile connectivity. Industry representatives from GSMA Africa further stressed that updating regulatory frameworks such as fair spectrum pricing and infrastructure sharing could boost 5G deployment by up to 40 percentage points compared to countries lacking modern regulations.

The summit concluded with key leadership transitions within the organization. Zambia’s Kezias Mwale was elected as the incoming Secretary-General of the ATU and is set to begin his four-year term on January 1, 2027. Meanwhile, Nigeria assumed the chairmanship of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries, with regional ministers calling for strong ongoing collaboration to translate the declaration’s resolutions into tangible digital progress across the continent.