The world is today running on the internet. Once referred to as the “dark continent” Africa has not been left behind. Africa has a vibrant tech ecosystem and leads the world in mobile banking. As it is crucial services rely not only on internet access but on good broadband internet speeds.
With high internet speeds, workers can access various information, applications, and company data more easily and quickly. Users on a broadband connection don’t need to wait too long to download or access files. For businesses, employee productivity will also increase and work will be more efficient.
READ: Kenya ISP Status: Report on Who Offers the Fastest Browsing and Streaming
Good broadband internet speed is not only a relief, it is important for the young African minds, who are techies, gamers and online entrepreneurs. Furthermore, Africa’s burgeoning tech ecosystem is increasingly reliant on reliable internet access. Startups, SMEs, and even informal businesses are leveraging the internet to drive growth and innovation. Slow internet speeds, therefore, hinder the continent’s digital progress.
This makes it clear that having access to fast broadband service is crucial.
According to Cable’s 2024 Global Broadband Pricing League Table, these are the top 10 African countries in terms of broadband internet speed. The research highlights download speeds, the speed at which data is transferred from the internet to a device.
Country With the Fastest Broadband Internet in Africa
| Africa Position | Country | Mean Download Speed (Mbps) | Global Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Réunion | 63.29 | 75 |
| 2 | South Africa | 42.42 | 114 |
| 3 | Eswatini | 37.23 | 120 |
| 4 | Rwanda | 32.69 | 126 |
| 5 | Mauritius | 31.12 | 127 |
| 6 | Botswana | 29.52 | 130 |
| 7 | Nigeria | 27.62 | 132 |
| 8 | Madagascar | 22.58 | 142 |
| 9 | Lesotho | 20.71 | 147 |
| 10 | Seychelles | 20.09 | 149 |
| Average download speed globally | 55.58 | ||
Only Reunion (63.29 mbps) is above the global average download speed of 55.58 mbps. Tech hubs South Africa and Nigeria are in the top 10, conspicously missing is Kenya (13.69 mbps) and Eygpt ( 12.64 mbps). Nations in the southern of africa appear to be perfoming best in the continent as well as islands off the east coast of Africa. Its quite telling that Africa’s best is ranked 75th globally.
