Record-breaking digital growth highlights Côte d’Ivoire’s strategic leap

The latest edition of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) ICT Development Index (IDI) for 2026 reveals Côte d’Ivoire’s remarkable digital economy expansion. The country’s IDI score surged from 69.5 in 2025 to 72 in 2026, marking a 4% increase—a testament to deliberate investments in digital infrastructure and market-driven adoption strategies.

Strategic vision fuels digital transformation

Côte d’Ivoire’s ascent in the global digital rankings aligns with its National Development Plan (NDP) and National Digital Strategy. These frameworks prioritize economic digitalization and telecom infrastructure modernization as key drivers of sustainable growth. The results speak for themselves: the country now ranks 15th in Africa, surpassing the continental average of 59 points by a significant margin.

Two pillars of digital excellence

The ITU’s evaluation framework hinges on two critical components:

• Universal connectivity: Assesses foundational digital adoption, including household internet access, individual internet usage, and high-speed mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Côte d’Ivoire scored 64.9 points here—well above Africa’s average of 38.1 points.
• Meaningful connectivity: Measures operational factors like mobile network coverage, data traffic (fixed and mobile), device ownership, and financial accessibility. The country achieved 79 points in this category, outperforming the regional average of 65 points.

Unmatched mobile infrastructure and affordability

Côte d’Ivoire’s digital infrastructure stands out with:

• 98% 3G and 90% 4G/LTE mobile broadband coverage nationwide.
• Highly competitive pricing: Mobile data and voice plans cost just 1.8% of the national gross income per capita, yielding a financial accessibility index of 95.8/100. Fixed broadband plans are similarly priced at 4.8% of income, scoring 87/100.

Market penetration and usage trends

The country’s digital adoption is gaining momentum:

• 73.1% of individuals own mobile phones.
• 70.8% actively use the internet.
• 58.7% of households have home internet access.
• 84.1 active mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.

Room for deeper digital engagement

While foundational connectivity is strong, opportunities remain in advanced digital consumption:

• 32.7 GB of mobile data consumed per subscription (score: 51.5 points).
• 893.9 GB of fixed broadband traffic per subscription (score: 73.7 points).

These figures suggest potential for growth in high-bandwidth usage and deeper digital integration.

Africa’s digital leaders: Where Côte d’Ivoire stands

The country ranks just behind Morocco (89.2), Mauritius (89.1), Algeria (87.8), South Africa (86.4), and Seychelles (84.4). Other top performers include Tunisia (80.1), Cape Verde (79.8), Egypt (79.6), Eswatini (78.9), and Botswana (77.7). Côte d’Ivoire closes the Top 15 at 72 points, alongside Gabon (76.2), Ghana (75.6), Senegal (72.8), and Namibia (72.2).