Former Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has warned that the high cost of mobile data remains one of the biggest barriers to Africa’s full participation in the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.
Delivering a keynote address at the LSE Africa Summit 2026 in London on March 28, Dr. Bawumia said while digitalisation is central to Africa’s economic transformation, affordability challenges risk excluding millions from meaningful participation in the digital economy.
He stressed that policymakers must move beyond simply expanding internet coverage and instead focus on ensuring that people can actually use the internet effectively.
“Policymakers must focus not just on connectivity, but on who is online meaningfully with affordable data, adequate speeds, and reliable service,” he said.
Dr. Bawumia explained that although internet penetration across Africa has improved in recent years, access remains uneven and often constrained by cost.
Citing global benchmarks, he noted that entry-level mobile broadband prices in 2025 were still above the United Nations’ affordability threshold in many parts of the continent, warning that this continues to undermine efforts to expand inclusive digital access.
Focusing on Ghana, he said the price of 1GB of mobile data ranges between about $0.05 and $1.50, depending on the provider and bundle. While this places Ghana relatively well compared with some peers, he said the real challenge lies in affordability for low-income households.
“Internet access is relatively affordable for middle- and high-income groups; however, it remains costly for low-income households,” he explained, citing income inequality and the large informal sector as key factors.
According to Dr. Bawumia, these affordability gaps could limit Africa’s ability to fully harness artificial intelligence and risk widening existing economic inequalities.
“Before we debate algorithms, we must be disciplined about the foundations that enable adoption at scale,” he said, warning that without affordable connectivity, AI could benefit only a small segment of society.
He therefore called for deliberate policy action, urging governments to prioritise digital infrastructure and affordability as part of their broader technology strategies.
“Africa’s AI agenda is also an infrastructure agenda,” he said, stressing that lowering data costs and expanding access will be critical if the continent is to remain competitive in the emerging AI-driven global economy.
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