Internet Access in Zambia: Current Status and Outlook

Internet usage in Zambia has grown substantially over the past decade, though estimates of penetration vary depending on measurement. As of December 2023, official data from the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority reported about 12.6 million internet subscriptions, representing 64.1% penetration freedomhouse.org. However, independent estimates counting unique users show a lower usage rate – DataReportal’s Digital 2024 report estimated 6.51 million internet users, about 31.2% of the population freedomhouse.org. In absolute terms, internet uptake has accelerated: the share of the population using the internet rose from around 20% in 2020 to 31% in early 2024 freedomhouse.org indexmundi.com, reflecting improved access and affordability.