Côte d’Ivoire’s digital leap: a 4% climb in global ICT index
The Côte d’Ivoire has made remarkable strides in its digital economy, climbing 4% in the latest edition of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) ICT Development Index for 2026. The nation’s score rose from 69.5 points in 2025 to 72 points in 2026, reflecting a year of strategic investments and market adoption that have reshaped its digital landscape.
This upward trajectory aligns with the country’s broader economic ambitions, particularly within the framework of its National Development Plan (NDP) and the National Digital Strategy. Both initiatives have prioritized digital transformation and telecom infrastructure modernization as key drivers of sustainable growth.
A continental standout with room to grow
Within Africa, Côte d’Ivoire has solidified its position among the continent’s digital frontrunners. With a score of 72 points, the country now ranks 15th on the continent, significantly outperforming the African average of 59 points. This achievement underscores the effectiveness of its policy-driven approach to digitalization.
The ITU’s evaluation framework is built on two foundational pillars. The first, Universal Connectivity, assesses foundational digital adoption metrics such as household internet access, individual internet usage, and active mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Côte d’Ivoire scored 64.9 points here, far exceeding the African average of 38.1 points.
The second pillar, Meaningful Connectivity, evaluates operational factors including mobile network coverage, fixed and mobile data traffic per subscription, device ownership, and financial accessibility of services. On this dimension, Côte d’Ivoire achieved 79 points, outperforming the regional average of 65 points.
Infrastructure and affordability: the driving forces
The country’s digital progress is anchored in robust infrastructure and cost-effective access. Mobile broadband networks, including 3G and 4G/LTE, now reach 98% and 90% of the population, respectively. Affordability remains a key strength, with mobile data and voice tariffs consuming just 1.8% of the national gross income per capita—translating to a financial accessibility index of 95.8 out of 100. Fixed broadband plans are similarly priced at 4.8% of gross income per capita, yielding an accessibility index of 87 points.
Current market penetration figures further highlight Côte d’Ivoire’s digital momentum: 73.1% of individuals own a mobile phone, while 70.8% actively use the internet. Additionally, 58.7% of households have home internet access, and there are 84.1 active mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
Unlocking deeper digital potential
While these milestones are commendable, opportunities remain to deepen digital engagement. Average mobile broadband data consumption stands at 32.7 gigabytes per subscription, resulting in a traffic score of 51.5 points. Fixed broadband usage averages 893.9 gigabytes per subscription, yielding a normalized score of 73.7 points. These figures suggest that while basic access is well-established, there is substantial potential for growth in advanced digital usage and high-bandwidth applications.
In the broader African context, Côte d’Ivoire’s performance places it among the continent’s top performers, though still trailing leaders like Morocco (89.2 points), Mauritius (89.1 points), and Algeria (87.8 points). The top 15 African digital economies also include Tunisia, Cape Verde, Egypt, Eswatini, Botswana, Gabon, and Ghana, with Senegal and Namibia rounding out the list just ahead of Côte d’Ivoire.
