Report: Moroccans ready for digital economy, but Africa’s digital divide persists

A new report by Afrobarometer, a pan-African survey organization, found that 78% of Moroccans say they are ready to take part in the digital economy, while only 3% said they are not prepared.

The report, titled “Africa’s Digital Divide is Narrowing… But Digital Economy Participation Remains Highly Unequal,”highlights uneven access to technology across the continent. While more than half of citizens in seven of 39 surveyed African countries, including Morocco, Gabon and Seychelles, reported owning a personal computer, ownership rates fell below 20% in countries such as Niger, Malawi and Liberia.

On average, only 18% of respondents across all surveyed countries own a personal computer, and 15% have access to one in their households. Fewer than half, about 47%, personally own a smartphone. Just 22% of households reported having reliable, full-time access to electricity.

Afrobarometer said the findings underscore how Africa’s digital divide is evolving at an uneven pace. “This disparity in computer ownership, along with differing rates of change, shows the digital divide is developing unequally, and will likely continue to do so in the foreseeable future,” the report said.

The study also described the digital economy in the Global South as a paradox: while it can reduce social and economic inequalities by creating opportunities for innovation and participation, it can also deepen divides by leaving many citizens as passive consumers, widening the gap between rich and poor.

Since the 1990s, internet expansion has been closely linked with economic growth worldwide, paving the way for digital economies. In Africa, the digital sector is growing faster than traditional industries, contributing to job creation, the report said.

Still, smartphones remain the primary gateway to the internet for Africans, as access to personal computers is limited. Four in 10 respondents said they have never used the internet, with higher rates among less educated and poorer citizens.

“Unless African governments provide their citizens with the basic tools needed for digital participation, they will continue to block economic opportunities and reinforce the digital divide between the Global North and South,” the report warned.