Nigeria has achieved the seventh-fastest internet speed among Sub-Saharan African countries, with an average download speed of 27.62 Mbps, according to the 2024 Worldwide Broadband Speed Report released by Cable.co.uk.
The report, which analyzed broadband speed tests across 220 countries, shows Nigeria improving its global ranking from 133rd in 2023 to 132nd in 2024.
In Africa, Nigeria trails behind Réunion, South Africa, Eswatini, Rwanda, Mauritius, and Botswana, with Réunion leading Sub-Saharan Africa at 63.29 Mbps and South Africa following at 42.42 Mbps.
The report highlighted that the average internet speed in Africa stands at 14.99 Mbps, positioning the continent as the second-lowest globally in terms of speed. The region’s download speeds averaged 14.99 Mbps, with only two countries outside the bottom half of the global ranking. Réunion (63.29 Mbps), South Africa (42.42 Mbps), and Eswatini (37.23 Mbps) were the exceptions. On the lower end, Sudan (4.02 Mbps), Central African Republic (4.08 Mbps), and Ethiopia (4.45 Mbps) ranked among the world’s slowest ten countries for average network speed.
Globally, Iceland leads with the fastest broadband at 279.55 Mbps, followed by Jersey at 273.51 Mbps, and Macao at 234.74 Mbps. The report notes that 35 countries have yet to achieve average speeds of 10 Mbps, considered the minimum for typical family or small business needs, as per UK telecoms watchdog Ofcom. This number has decreased from 48 countries in 2023, indicating ongoing global speed improvements.
#### Key Insights
Nigeria is working to increase internet speed and expand access through its National Broadband Plan (NBP 2020-2025). Despite missing some targets, the country is making progress in broadband speed. The plan aimed for 15 Mbps download speeds in urban areas and 5 Mbps in rural areas by 2023. The latest global report confirms Nigeria has exceeded this goal with its current 27.62 Mbps.
This improvement, primarily seen in major cities, can be attributed to the introduction of 5G by MTN and Airtel, and the entry of Elon Musk’s Starlink, which reportedly delivers over 50 Mbps in both urban and rural areas of Nigeria.
