The Côte d’Ivoire has made remarkable strides in its digital economy this year, climbing 4% in the latest International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ICT Development Index (IDI). The country’s score surged from 69.5 in 2025 to 72 points in 2026, reflecting a strong upward trajectory in digital transformation.
This achievement underscores the success of sustained investments in digital infrastructure and market adoption, aligning with the National Development Plan (NDP) and the National Digital Development Strategy. Both frameworks have positioned digitalization and telecom modernization as key drivers of economic growth and social progress.
On the African stage, Côte d’Ivoire is solidifying its position among the continent’s digital leaders. With a score of 72 points, the country ranks 15th in Africa—well above the continental average of 59 points.
Breaking down the ITU’s evaluation pillars
The IDI measures digital progress through two core components. The first, ‘Universal Connectivity’, assesses foundational digital access—household internet penetration, individual internet usage, and active mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 people. Côte d’Ivoire scores 64.9 points here, significantly ahead of Africa’s average of 38.1 points.
The second pillar, ‘Meaningful Connectivity’, evaluates operational factors like mobile network coverage, fixed and mobile data traffic per subscription, device ownership, and financial accessibility of services. The country achieves a strong 79 points, surpassing the regional average of 65 points.
Strong network coverage and affordability fuel progress
Côte d’Ivoire boasts near-universal mobile broadband coverage, with 3G and 4G/LTE signals reaching 98% and 90% of the population, respectively. Data and voice plans remain highly affordable, costing just 1.8% of the national gross income (GNI) per capita, yielding a financial accessibility index of 95.8 out of 100. Fixed broadband plans are also reasonably priced at 4.8% of GNI per capita, with an accessibility index of 87 points.
Current market penetration reflects this progress: 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 active mobile broadband subscriptions reach 84.1 per 100 people.
Opportunities for deeper digital engagement
Despite these gains, there is room for improvement in advanced digital usage. 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, scoring 73.7 points. While basic connectivity is now well established, higher bandwidth consumption and deeper digital engagement present significant growth potential.
Africa’s digital leaders and Côte d’Ivoire’s regional standing
At the continental level, Morocco leads with 89.2 points, followed closely by Mauritius (89.1), Algeria (87.8), South Africa (86.4), and the Seychelles (84.4). The top 10 is rounded out by Tunisia (80.1), Cape Verde (79.8), Egypt (79.6), Eswatini (78.9), and Botswana (77.7). Côte d’Ivoire sits just behind, securing 15th place with 72 points, alongside Gabon (76.2), Ghana (75.6), Senegal (72.8), and Namibia (72.2).
