Nigeria Ranks High in List of Top 10 African Countries With Lowest Data Price
- A new report has disclosed the cheapest African countries to purchase mobile data in 2023
- Surprising, Nigeria made it to the top of the list, with an average cost of 1G data at $0.39
- Unfortunately, the African country, Zimbabwe ranks the highest country in the world to purchase data
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Malawi ranks ahead of Nigeria for the African country with the cheapest price of one gigabyte (1 GB) of mobile data.
This is according to a report recently released by a British technology research firm, cable.co.uk, titled "Worldwide mobile data pricing: The cost of 1GB of mobile data in 237 countries."
As per the report, the data was collected and analyzed from 5,603 mobile data plans across 237 countries during the period spanning from July 5, 2023, to September 6, 2023.
Source: Getty Images
Nigeria has one of the cheapest data prices in Africa
Nigeria ranks number 2 in Africa for the most affordable mobile data.
The latest ranking puts to rest rumours by some members of the public that data was most expensive in Nigeria compared to most other countries in Africa.
According to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria holds the seventh position globally for mobile phone usage and ranks eleventh in internet accessibility.
In 2022, Nigeria was ranked sixth in Africa, but in 2023, it has moved up four places to now rank number two for the least expensive African country to purchase mobile data.
As outlined in the report, the average price for one gigabyte (GB) of mobile data in Nigeria is $0.39 (equivalent to N390 using the exchange rate of N1000/$).
Even though inflation and the expenses associated with conducting business are on the rise, data prices in Nigeria managed to maintain a competitive edge in affordability compared to numerous other countries, such as Egypt and South Africa.
Consequently, the nation's position in the global rankings for the most affordable mobile data places it at the 31st position out of a total of 237 countries.
Reacting to allegations of quick data depletion by some telecom subscribers in Nigeria, the NCC highlighted technical and non-technical reasons.
Top 10 countries in Africa with the cheapest mobile data
The report compiles African nations that boasted the most affordable data rates worldwide from June through September 2023.
| Rank in Africa | Country | Data Price (1GB/$) | Global Rank |
| 1 | Malawi | $0.38 | 29th |
| 2 | Nigeria | $0.39 | 31st |
| 3 | Ghana | $0.40 | 33rd |
| 4 | Somalia | $0.50 | 45th |
| 5 | Democratic Republic of Congo | $0.52 | 49th |
| 6 | Rwanda | $0.55 | 52nd |
| 7 | Western Sahara | $0.58 | 53rd |
| 8 | Kenya | $0.59 | 57th |
| 9 | Morocco | $0.63 | 60th |
| 10 | Egypt | $0.65 | 62nd |
Five cheapest countries in the world for 1GB of mobile data
Israel boasts the world's most economical mobile data plans, where the average cost of one gigabyte (1GB) of data is a mere USD 0.02.
In Israel, several providers offer generous data allowances and extensive 4G LTE and 5G network coverage.
Securing the second spot for affordability is Italy, where 1GB of data averages USD 0.085. Italy enjoys the presence of over a dozen popular providers, collectively offering some of the most budget-friendly data plans globally.
Moreover, 5G coverage is now accessible to approximately 95% of the population, alongside ubiquitous 4G connectivity.
The remote island nation of Fiji is occupying the third position, where 1GB costs USD 0.088. Fiji boasts two mobile networks, both providing 4G coverage and expanding 5G coverage across the island, in addition to a wide range of generous data offerings.
Italy's neighbour, San Marino, ranks fourth with a cost of USD 0.10 for 1GB of data, while the Southeast Asian country of Cambodia secures the fifth spot with an average cost of USD 0.12 per gigabyte.
Five most expensive countries in the world for 1GB of mobile data
The list of the world's five most costly countries for 1GB of mobile data includes Zimbabwe (USD 43.75), the Falkland Islands (USD 40.58), Saint Helena (USD 40.13), South Sudan (USD 23.70), and Tokelau (USD 17.24).
Notably, these five nations share striking and apparent similarities. Three out of the five are situated in Sub-Saharan Africa, and an equal three out of the five are island nations.
It's worth noting that Sub-Saharan Africa ranks as the fourth-most expensive region worldwide for mobile data in general, and island nations consistently tend to have some of the highest data costs.
NCC warns Nigerians to remove 5 Google Chrome extensions on phones, laptops
In related news, Legit.ng reported that the NCC's Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT) detected five harmful Google Chrome Extensions.
In a statement released on its website, the NCC revealed the names of these malicious extensions: McAfee Mobile, Netflix Party, Netflix Party 2, Full Page Screenshot Capture Screenshotting, and FlipShope Price Tracker Extension, and AutoBuy Flash Sales.
These extensions have been found to monitor online browser activities and steal user data clandestinely.
Source: Legit.ng
