Ivory Coast advances in digital transformation with a 4% score increase
The Ivory Coast has made significant strides in digital economic growth, as reflected in the 2026 edition of the ICT Development Index (IDI) released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Over the past year, the country bolstered its digital footprint, elevating its national score from 69.5 in 2025 to 72 points in 2026—a remarkable 4% rise.
This upward trend underscores the tangible impact of sustained infrastructure investments and market adoption. It aligns seamlessly with the objectives outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) and the National Digital Development Strategy, both of which prioritize economic digitalization and telecom infrastructure modernization as key drivers of growth.
A continental standout in digital progress
The Ivory Coast now ranks 15th among African nations, with a score of 72 points—well above the continental average of 59 points. To grasp the foundations of this achievement, it is crucial to examine the two structural pillars underpinning the ITU’s evaluation framework.
Universal connectivity: laying the groundwork for digital inclusion
The first pillar, Universal Connectivity, assesses foundational digital adoption metrics, including household internet access, individual internet usage, and active mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Here, the Ivory Coast scores 64.9 points, substantially outperforming the African average of 38.1 points.
Meaningful connectivity: driving deeper digital engagement
The second pillar, Meaningful Connectivity, evaluates operational enablers such as mobile network coverage, fixed and mobile data traffic per subscription, device ownership, and financial accessibility. The Ivory Coast achieves a strong score of 79 points, surpassing the regional African average of 65 points.
Notably, the country boasts an impressive mobile broadband coverage, with 3G and 4G/LTE networks reaching 98% and 90% of the population, respectively. Additionally, retail prices for mobile data and voice plans remain highly affordable, accounting for just 1.8% of the national gross income per capita—corresponding to a financial accessibility index of 95.8 out of 100. Fixed broadband plan costs stand at 4.8% of gross income per capita, yielding an accessibility index of 87 points.
Market penetration figures further highlight the Ivory Coast’s digital momentum: 73.1% of individuals own a mobile phone, while 70.8% actively use the internet. Furthermore, 58.7% of households have home internet access, and active mobile broadband subscriptions have surged to 84.1 per 100 inhabitants.
Despite these advancements, there remains room for improvement in capital allocation and usage deepening. Mobile broadband data consumption averages 32.7 gigabytes per subscription, translating to a traffic score of 51.5 points. Fixed broadband traffic stands at an average of 893.9 gigabytes per subscription, yielding a normalized score of 73.7 points. These figures suggest that while basic connectivity is firmly established, opportunities for growth lie in deeper digital consumption and high-bandwidth utilization.
Africa’s digital leaders: how the Ivory Coast compares
The continent’s top performer is Morocco, with an IDI score of 89.2 points, followed closely by Mauritius (89.1 points), Algeria (87.8 points), South Africa (86.4 points), and the Seychelles (84.4 points). Rounding out the top 10 are Tunisia (80.1 points), Cape Verde (79.8 points), Egypt (79.6 points), Eswatini (78.9 points), and Botswana (77.7 points). The Ivory Coast, with its 72-point score, ranks just behind Senegal (72.8 points), Namibia (72.2 points), and alongside Ghana (75.6 points) and Gabon (76.2 points), securing the 15th position in Africa’s digital economy rankings.
