1 GB of mobile data costs $0.38 in Malawi… and $43.75 in Zimbabwe. A gap of 115 times between two African countries, for exactly the same product. And North Africa displays the cheapest data in the world: $0.86 per GB on average. Here is the complete ranking of 53 African countries, figures to back it up.
A transparent methodology
This ranking is based on the annual Cable.co.uk survey (“Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing”), the global reference on the subject: it compares the average price of 1 GB of mobile data from more than 5,600 plans recorded in 237 countries and territories, prices converted into US dollars at the time of the survey.
The average price per country is calculated across all plans (prepaid, postpaid, data-only), excluding roaming, eSIM and travel plans. 53 African countries out of 54 appear in the study — Eritrea is excluded due to a lack of comparable data.
Critical perspective. This ranking measures an average price per gigabyte, not the real cost of access for households: purchasing power, network coverage (2G/3G/4G/5G) and average income change the perception of “expensive” or “cheap”. A GB at $1 is a heavier burden in Bangui than in Rabat. Prices also vary constantly and by operator.
The ranking: the price per GB in 53 African countries
| Rank | Country | Price / GB |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malawi | $0.38 |
| 2 | Nigeria | $0.39 |
| 3 | Ghana | $0.40 |
| 4 | Somalia | $0.50 |
| 5 | DR Congo | $0.52 |
| 6 | Rwanda | $0.55 |
| 7 | Kenya | $0.59 |
| 8 | Morocco | $0.63 |
| 9 | Egypt | $0.65 |
| 10 | Mauritius | $0.67 |
| 11 | Sierra Leone | $0.67 |
| 12 | Congo | $0.68 |
| 13 | Ethiopia | $0.68 |
| 14 | Algeria | $0.73 |
| 15 | Mozambique | $0.78 |
| 16 | Libya | $0.82 |
| 17 | Tanzania | $0.84 |
| 18 | Angola | $1.01 |
| 19 | Burundi | $1.10 |
| 20 | Uganda | $1.11 |
| 21 | Madagascar | $1.12 |
| 22 | Sudan | $1.16 |
| 23 | Côte d’Ivoire | $1.18 |
| 24 | Namibia | $1.20 |
| 25 | Eswatini | $1.26 |
| 26 | Djibouti | $1.26 |
| 27 | Tunisia | $1.28 |
| 28 | Mauritania | $1.32 |
| 29 | Togo | $1.45 |
| 30 | Guinea | $1.51 |
| 31 | Equatorial Guinea | $1.59 |
| 32 | Cameroon | $1.63 |
| 33 | Senegal | $1.63 |
| 34 | Niger | $1.63 |
| 35 | South Africa | $1.81 |
| 36 | Lesotho | $1.96 |
| 37 | Botswana | $1.99 |
| 38 | Comoros | $2.18 |
| 39 | Benin | $2.37 |
| 40 | São Tomé and Príncipe | $2.41 |
| 41 | Liberia | $2.50 |
| 42 | Guinea-Bissau | $2.72 |
| 43 | Cape Verde | $3.24 |
| 44 | Burkina Faso | $3.27 |
| 45 | Gambia | $3.56 |
| 46 | Gabon | $4.09 |
| 47 | Chad | $4.09 |
| 48 | Mali | $4.56 |
| 49 | Seychelles | $5.43 |
| 50 | Zambia | $8.01 |
| 51 | Central African Republic | $10.90 |
| 52 | South Sudan | $23.70 |
| 53 | Zimbabwe | $43.75 |
Source: Cable.co.uk, Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing (5,600+ plans, 237 countries). Average prices in US dollars.
How to read this ranking. The price shown is the average price per gigabyte calculated across all plans in the country. Two countries may display the same price (Senegal, Cameroon, Niger at $1.63) with very different coverage realities. This is a market indicator, not a measure of affordability.
The great divide: from Malawi (The great divide: from Malawi ($0.38) to Zimbabwe ($43.75)
.38) to Zimbabwe (.75)
The contrast is striking. Malawi ($0.38), Nigeria ($0.39) and Ghana ($0.40) offer a gigabyte for less than $0.40 — three of the lowest prices on the continent, placing them in the global top 40 and well below the global average (around $2.60).
At the other end, three African countries feature in the global top 10 most expensive data:
- Zimbabwe — $43.75: the most expensive GB in the world (no. 1 out of 237). Hyperinflation, dollarised operating costs, a tiny formal plan market: the majority of Zimbabweans buy daily $1 packs, which mechanically drives the price per GB through the roof.
- South Sudan — $23.70: no. 4 worldwide. Limited networks and extreme financing costs in a post-conflict country.
- Central African Republic — $10.90: no. 8 worldwide. The same logic of post-conflict fragmentation and near-inexistent competition.
Worth noting: Zambia ($8.01) rounds out the picture in 11th place worldwide. And the British territory of Saint Helena ($40.13), in the South Atlantic, is the 3rd most expensive market on the globe.
What these figures really tell us
1. It is not a question of wealth. The common thread among the most expensive markets is not poverty, but the absence of competition: very small populations, operator monopolies, satellite backhaul, post-conflict fragmentation. Poor but highly competitive economies (Malawi, Rwanda, DR Congo) conversely display some of the lowest prices in the world.
2. North Africa is the cheapest region on the planet. With an average of $0.86 per GB across 7 countries, North Africa outpaces Asia and Eastern Europe. Morocco ($0.63), Egypt ($0.65) and Algeria ($0.73) lift the region up.
3. Sub-Saharan Africa remains expensive — and very unequal. Regional average of $3.31 per GB (10th region out of 13), but pulled by a few extremes: if Zimbabwe and South Sudan are removed, the vast majority of sub-Saharan countries sit below $2.
4. Data, the engine of mobile money. In countries where data is most competitive (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda), mobile money and digital services are booming. The price per GB has become a development lever in its own right.
The data behind the prices
To put these prices in context, here are the regional averages from the same survey:
| Region | Countries tested | Price / GB |
|---|---|---|
| North Africa | 7 | $0.86 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 50 | $3.31 |
| Asia (excl. Middle East) | 28 | $1.10 |
| Western Europe | 29 | $2.08 |
| North America | 4 | $4.59 |
Source: Cable.co.uk. The global average is approximately $2.60 per GB, falling continuously since 2019 ($8.18).
To quote: “1 GB of mobile data costs $0.38 in Malawi and $43.75 in Zimbabwe: a gap of 115 times between two African countries, according to the Cable.co.uk survey covering 237 countries.”
— Feature, LesAfriques.com
Download the full ranking in PDF
All 53 countries, the methodology and the detailed analysis — to keep and share.
To go further
- Opening a bank account abroad: the 2026 guide
- Investing in Africa: complete guide
- Jobs recruiting in Africa
FAQ
Why does Zimbabwe have the most expensive data in the world?
Hyperinflation has dollarised operator costs, while the formal plan market is tiny: the majority of users buy small daily $1 packs, whose price expressed per gigabyte is very high.
Which African country has the cheapest data?
Malawi, at $0.38 per GB on average, followed by Nigeria ($0.39) and Ghana ($0.40).
Are these prices in dollars or in local currency?
In US dollars, as in the source study. Cable.co.uk converts local prices into dollars at the time of the survey.
Do these figures change?
Yes, quickly. The global average price per GB has been divided by more than three since 2019 (from $8.18 to approximately $2.60). This ranking reflects the latest published edition of the survey.
Sources: Cable.co.uk — Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing (average price per GB, 5,600+ plans, 237 countries). This feature is for informational purposes only and does not constitute advice.
An error, a figure to correct or a question about the methodology? Write to us: redaction@lesafriques.com. Last updated: 2 October 2026.
