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An estimated two billion people remain offline globally despite internet adoption reaching 6.3 billion users in 2026, exposing persistent inequalities in connectivity, affordability and digital skills, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The figure represents 76% of the world’s population, up from 6.1 billion people, or 74%, in 2025. However, the latest edition of the ITU’s Facts and Figures report shows that access to the internet remains heavily influenced by income levels, geographical location, gender and the availability of suitable infrastructure.

The differences are particularly pronounced between wealthy and poorer economies. Internet use stands at 93% in high-income countries, compared with 32% in low-income countries, while access to newer mobile networks remains heavily concentrated in wealthier markets.

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said expanding connectivity and making it meaningful for everyone was becoming more important as artificial intelligence creates opportunities in areas such as education and employment. The figures highlight the challenge facing countries seeking to extend the benefits of digital services to populations that remain underserved.

The disparity in internet adoption is accompanied by substantial differences in mobile network coverage. Although 97% of the world’s population lives within reach of at least a 3G network, 5G coverage stands at 86% in high-income countries and just 4% in low-income countries.

The difference matters as newer mobile networks support higher speeds and greater capacity for data-intensive applications, including cloud services, video communications and artificial intelligence tools. Countries with limited 5G availability face additional infrastructure challenges as businesses and public institutions expand their use of advanced digital services.

The ITU’s findings also reveal differences in internet adoption across demographic groups. Globally, 79% of men use the internet, compared with 74% of women, while 86% of people aged 15 to 24 are online, against 74% among the rest of the population.

Geographical inequalities remain significant despite progress in connecting rural communities. Internet use stands at 82% among urban residents and 63% among rural populations, demonstrating the continuing difficulty of extending meaningful connectivity beyond major population centres.

The cost of devices and connectivity continues to influence who can participate in the digital economy. Mobile phone ownership among people aged 10 and above stands at 84% globally, but the figure ranges from more than 95% in high-income countries to just 57% in low-income economies.

Differences in data consumption also illustrate the unequal nature of internet access. Average monthly mobile broadband traffic per subscription reaches 20GB in high-income countries, almost six times the 3.4GB recorded in low-income countries.

The ITU’s affordability measurements show that the global median price of a data-only mobile broadband basket has fallen to 1.2% of gross national income per capita. Fixed broadband costs a median of 2.3%, although the cost burden remains substantially higher in poorer economies.

Landlocked developing countries and small island developing states met the widely recognised target of keeping mobile broadband costs below 2% of GNI per capita for the first time in 2026. Least developed countries, however, recorded a median mobile broadband cost of 6.1% of GNI per capita.

The ITU also found that three in 10 economies fail to meet the 2% affordability target for either fixed or mobile broadband. This leaves lower-income populations facing a greater financial burden when purchasing data, maintaining subscriptions and acquiring internet-enabled devices.

Africa’s connectivity challenges illustrate the distinction between infrastructure availability and actual internet adoption. The GSMA’s 2026 research estimates that only 36% of the continent’s population used mobile internet in 2025, leaving more than 900 million people offline.

The GSMA estimates that 63% of Africa’s population lives within mobile broadband coverage but does not use mobile internet, while 9% remains outside mobile broadband coverage. This makes the usage gap a major obstacle to expanding digital participation across the continent.

Smartphone affordability is a central part of the problem. The GSMA’s research found that an entry-level internet-enabled handset cost the poorest 20% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa an amount equivalent to 76% of their average monthly income at the end of 2025.

This creates a difficult situation for telecommunications operators and governments investing in network expansion. Even where mobile broadband coverage exists, households still need compatible devices and sufficient disposable income to purchase data and use online services regularly.

The issue also extends to digital skills. People need the ability to navigate online platforms, access digital financial services, use productivity tools and understand emerging technologies if connectivity is to translate into economic opportunities.

Kenya illustrates the complexity of expanding internet adoption in a market where telecommunications infrastructure and mobile subscriptions have grown substantially.

Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya reported by TechTrendsKE shows that the country had 52.26 million connected smartphones and 27.42 million feature phones by June 2026. Mobile broadband subscriptions reached 54.93 million, while total mobile data subscriptions stood at 64.26 million.

The country’s fixed internet market also recorded growth, with subscriptions reaching 2.84 million in June 2026, representing annual growth of 32.4%. Fibre accounted for approximately 1.57 million connections, reflecting the expanding role of fixed broadband alongside mobile internet.

However, these market figures sit alongside significant geographical differences in internet adoption. ITU country data for 2024 showed that 56.6% of individuals in urban Kenya used the internet, compared with 25% in rural areas. Household internet access stood at 81.6% in urban areas and 26% in rural locations.

The same ITU data placed individual internet usage at 37.8% among men and 32.2% among women. Kenya’s 4G population coverage stood at 97.3%, while 5G coverage reached 14% in the dataset.

The figures highlight the challenge of translating network availability into widespread usage. In its earlier reporting on Kenya’s last-mile connectivity, TechTrendsKE examined how remote counties such as Marsabit and Mandera face additional barriers linked to population density, device affordability, electricity access and the economics of network deployment.

Kenya’s satellite internet market also illustrates the different approaches being used to extend connectivity. Starlink had reached 27,616 subscriptions by June 2026, according to figures reported by TechTrendsKE, offering another option for customers in areas where conventional fixed broadband infrastructure is limited.

The expansion of fibre, mobile broadband and satellite services provides additional routes to internet access, but affordability and the availability of suitable devices remain important to adoption.

The ITU argues that expanding internet access must be accompanied by efforts to improve digital skills. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, director of the ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, said people need the skills required to use online services and emerging technologies.

Several initiatives covered by TechTrendsKE illustrate how organisations are addressing this challenge in Kenya. Intel, the Kenya National Library Service and the Mandela AI Hub Foundation have partnered on AI training through public libraries and mobile library units, providing learning opportunities for people without technical backgrounds.

A separate digital skills programme in Garissa and Turkana enrolled more than 700 young people, targeting 1,700 participants from refugee and host communities. The programme covers areas including cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data analytics and professional certification.

Google has also introduced its Skilling Africa platform, targeting three million people across the continent by 2030. The initiative incorporates data-light learning, downloadable lessons and offline course access to accommodate users facing connectivity and data-cost constraints.

Electricity access is another consideration in the adoption of digital services. Kenya’s Commonwealth youth AI readiness assessment, reported by TechTrendsKE in November 2026, highlighted electricity access, internet reliability and digital infrastructure among the factors influencing the country’s ability to prepare young people for AI-related opportunities.

The ITU’s latest findings place these challenges within a wider global picture. With 6.3 billion people already using the internet, the remaining two billion represent a substantial population that still faces barriers to digital participation, even as governments, telecommunications operators and technology companies expand connectivity infrastructure.