Key takeaway: the mobile gender gap in Africa remains one of the telecom industry’s largest untapped markets. GSMA’s recent data show that despite extensive network coverage, millions of women still cannot fully participate in the digital economy because of device costs, low digital skills and social barriers.
Why the mobile gender gap in Africa persists
GSMA finds that in low- and middle-income countries women are on average 12% less likely to use mobile internet than men. Globally, roughly 810 million women remain offline compared with about 595 million men. More than two-thirds of those women live in sub‑Saharan Africa and South Asia; in sub‑Saharan Africa the gap reaches 26%. These figures show the challenge now extends beyond simply expanding network coverage.
Cost and affordability: the primary barrier
The most decisive barrier is economic. For the poorest quintile in sub‑Saharan Africa, buying a basic smartphone can represent between 80% and 95% of average monthly income. The cost burden goes beyond the handset: data plans, airtime/top‑ups and access to charging all affect whether an owned device becomes an actively used one. The commercial case is clear: when women view mobile access as essential—for receiving payments, running a business or accessing credit—they are far more likely to invest in a phone.
Digital skills, safety and household control
Owning a phone does not guarantee use. Many women lack confidence or training to use online services—mobile banking, government services, e‑commerce—and worry about fraud or privacy breaches. In addition, a household device may be legally or effectively controlled by a man, limiting women’s real access to digital services even when a connection exists.
AI pressures on component costs and device upgrades
GSMA also highlights another factor: rising demand for memory and other components driven by AI is putting upward pressure on manufacturing costs. If these tensions push up the price of entry‑level smartphones, cash‑constrained households may delay or forgo upgrades, further widening the gender gap in mobile access.
The gap represents both a social challenge and a major commercial opportunity for operators and the broader digital ecosystem.
