Côte d’Ivoire’s digital leap: A 4% surge in global ICT rankings

The Côte d’Ivoire has marked a significant milestone in its digital transformation journey, climbing 4% in the 2026 edition of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) ICT Development Index (IDI). The country’s national score rose from 69.5 points in 2025 to 72 points in 2026, reflecting robust advancements in digital infrastructure and market adoption.

This upward trajectory aligns with the Côte d’Ivoire’s strategic blueprint, where digitalization and telecom modernization are central to economic growth. The Plan national de développement (PND) and the Stratégie nationale de développement du numérique have prioritized these pillars, driving tangible progress in connectivity and digital services.

A continental standout: Côte d’Ivoire’s digital divide narrows

With a score of 72 points, the Côte d’Ivoire has cemented its position among Africa’s top 15 digital economies. The continent’s average score stands at 59 points, underscoring the country’s notable outperformance. Two core evaluation pillars from the ITU’s framework highlight the drivers behind this success:

• Universal connectivity: This metric assesses foundational digital access, including household internet penetration, individual internet usage, and active mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. The Côte d’Ivoire scored 64.9 points here, significantly ahead of Africa’s average of 38.1 points.
• Meaningful connectivity: This dimension evaluates operational factors such as mobile network coverage, fixed and mobile data traffic per subscription, device ownership, and financial accessibility of tariffs. The country achieved a strong 79 points, surpassing the regional average of 65 points.

Infrastructure and affordability: The backbones of progress

The Côte d’Ivoire’s digital infrastructure has expanded rapidly. Mobile broadband networks—including 3G and 4G/LTE—now blanket 98% and 90% of the population, respectively. Affordability remains a key advantage, with mobile data and voice tariffs consuming just 1.8% of the gross national income (GNI) per capita, yielding a financial accessibility index of 95.8 out of 100. Fixed broadband plans are similarly cost-effective, averaging 4.8% of GNI per capita, with an accessibility index of 87 points.

Market penetration metrics further underscore the strides made: 73.1% of individuals own mobile phones, while 70.8% actively use the internet. Additionally, 58.7% of households have home internet access, and active mobile broadband subscriptions now reach 84.1 per 100 inhabitants.

Room for growth: Deepening digital engagement

Despite these achievements, opportunities for deeper digital engagement persist. Average mobile broadband data consumption stands at 32.7 gigabytes per subscription, translating to 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 now firmly established, higher bandwidth usage and advanced digital applications remain prime areas for future development.

Regional perspective: Where Côte d’Ivoire stands

Africa’s digital landscape is led by Morocco (89.2 points), Mauritius (89.1 points), Algeria (87.8 points), South Africa (86.4 points), and Seychelles (84.4 points). The top 10 is rounded out by Tunisia (80.1 points), Cabo Verde (79.8 points), Egypt (79.6 points), Eswatini (78.9 points), and Botswana (77.7 points). Closing the top 15 are Gabon (76.2 points), Ghana (75.6 points), Senegal (72.8 points), Namibia (72.2 points), and the Côte d’Ivoire (72 points).