Digital transformation drives Côte d’Ivoire’s 4% leap in global ICT ranking
The Ivorian economy is undergoing a digital renaissance, with the country securing a 4% advance in the latest ITU’s ICT Development Index (IDI) 2026. This progress reflects a determined push toward digital infrastructure and market adoption, elevating the nation’s score from 69.5 in 2025 to 72 points in 2026.
The gains align with the country’s broader development agenda, particularly the National Development Plan (PND) and the National Digital Strategy, both prioritizing digitalization and telecom modernization as key drivers of economic growth.
Côte d’Ivoire outperforms African peers in ICT readiness
With a score of 72 points, Côte d’Ivoire now ranks 15th in Africa—a position that outstrips the continent’s average of 59 points. Behind this achievement lie two core pillars of the ITU’s evaluation framework, each reflecting distinct dimensions of digital progress.
Universal connectivity: A foundation of progress
The first pillar, Universal Connectivity, measures foundational digital adoption, including household internet access, individual internet usage, and active mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Côte d’Ivoire scored 64.9 points in this category, significantly surpassing the African average of 38.1 points.
Meaningful connectivity: Scaling operational efficiency
The second pillar, Meaningful Connectivity, evaluates factors like mobile network coverage, fixed and mobile data traffic per subscription, device ownership, and financial accessibility of services. Here, Côte d’Ivoire achieved 79 points, exceeding Africa’s regional average of 65 points.
The country’s mobile broadband reach stands out, with 3G and 4G/LTE networks covering 98% and 90% of the population, respectively. Affordability remains a key strength: mobile data and voice tariffs account for just 1.8% of the national gross income per capita, yielding a financial accessibility index of 95.8 out of 100. Fixed broadband plans are similarly competitive, priced at 4.8% of gross income per capita, translating to an accessibility index of 87 points.
Market penetration and digital habits take shape
Consumer engagement is gaining momentum, with 73.1% of individuals owning mobile phones and 70.8% actively using the internet. Additionally, 58.7% of households now have home internet access, while active mobile broadband subscriptions have reached 84.1 per 100 inhabitants.
Yet, challenges persist in deepening digital usage. Mobile broadband data consumption averages 32.7 gigabytes per subscription, reflecting a 51.5-point traffic score. Fixed broadband usage stands slightly higher, at 893.9 gigabytes per subscription, translating to a 73.7-point score. These figures suggest that while basic connectivity and access are firmly established, opportunities abound for expanding advanced digital consumption and high-bandwidth applications.
Regional benchmarks: Côte d’Ivoire holds strong position
On the continental stage, Côte d’Ivoire sits just outside the top tier, trailing leaders like Morocco (89.2 points), Mauritius (89.1 points), Algeria (87.8 points), South Africa (86.4 points), and Seychelles (84.4 points). The rest of the top 10 includes Tunisia (80.1 points), Cabo Verde (79.8 points), Egypt (79.6 points), Eswatini (78.9 points), and Botswana (77.7 points). Closing out the top 15 are Gabon (76.2 points), Ghana (75.6 points), Senegal (72.8 points), Namibia (72.2 points), and Côte d’Ivoire at 72 points.
