Côte d’Ivoire’s digital economy surges with 4% rise in global ICT index
In the latest edition of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) ICT Development Index (IDI), Côte d’Ivoire has achieved a remarkable milestone in its digital economy journey. The country’s national score climbed from 69.5 points in 2025 to 72 points in 2026, marking a 4% increase that underscores its steady progress in digital transformation.
This upward trajectory reflects the tangible results of sustained investments in digital infrastructure and the growing adoption of digital solutions across markets. It aligns closely with the country’s strategic roadmap, where the National Development Plan (PND) and the National Digital Development Strategy have positioned digitalization and telecom modernization as cornerstones of economic growth.
Côte d’Ivoire’s performance places it firmly among Africa’s digital frontrunners. With a score of 72 points, the nation ranks 15th on the continent and significantly outperforms the African average of 59 points, demonstrating its commitment to bridging the digital divide.
What drives Côte d’Ivoire’s digital success?
The ITU’s evaluation framework is built on two key pillars: Universal Connectivity and Meaningful Connectivity. In the first pillar, which assesses foundational digital adoption—including household internet access, individual internet use, and active mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants—Côte d’Ivoire scores 64.9 points, far exceeding the African benchmark of 38.1 points.
The second pillar, Meaningful Connectivity, evaluates operational factors such as mobile network coverage, fixed and mobile data traffic per subscription, device ownership, and financial accessibility of services. Here, Côte d’Ivoire achieves a strong score of 79 points, outperforming the regional average of 65 points.
Strong infrastructure and affordability fuel growth
The country’s digital backbone is robust, with 98% 3G coverage and 90% 4G/LTE coverage across the population. Affordability remains a key strength: mobile data and voice plans cost 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 priced at 4.8% of gross income, resulting in an accessibility index of 87 points.
Current usage metrics are equally impressive: 73.1% of individuals own a mobile phone, while 70.8% actively use the internet. Home internet access reaches 58.7% of households, and active mobile broadband subscriptions stand at 84.1 per 100 inhabitants.
Opportunities for deeper digital engagement
While Côte d’Ivoire has made significant strides in access and connectivity, there remains room for growth in advanced digital usage. Mobile broadband data consumption averages 32.7 gigabytes per subscription, translating to a traffic score of 51.5 points. Fixed broadband traffic stands higher at 893.9 gigabytes per subscription, yielding a normalized score of 73.7 points. These figures suggest that while foundational connectivity is well established, deeper digital engagement and high-bandwidth applications still offer substantial untapped potential.
Where Côte d’Ivoire stands in Africa’s digital landscape
At a continental level, Morocco leads with an IDI score of 89.2 points, followed closely by Mauritius (89.1), Algeria (87.8), South Africa (86.4), and Seychelles (84.4). Rounding out the top 10 are Tunisia (80.1), Cabo Verde (79.8), Egypt (79.6), Eswatini (78.9), and Botswana (77.7). The next tier includes Gabon (76.2), Ghana (75.6), Senegal (72.8), Namibia (72.2), and Côte d’Ivoire (72), which closes the top 15 of Africa’s leading digital economies.
