Internet Users Hit 4.95Bn Globally as Africa Records 46.7% Internet Penetration Rate

The number of internet users worldwide continue to increase as new study disclosed that global internet users inched closer to 5 billion as at December 2020, Business Remarks reports.

Connecting billions of people worldwide, the internet has become a core pillar of the modern information society.

The report published by Internet World Stats revealed internet users globally has hit 4.95 billion while the global internet penetration rate was placed at 63.2% as at December 2020.

Among the global internet users, China, India and the United States of America recorded more internet users than the rest of the countries.

Asia has the highest number of about 2.57 billion internet subscribers with a 59.5% internet penetration rate although Europe recorded 87.1% internet penetration rate, its internet users was place at 728 million.

Further findings by Business Remarks revealed that for the period under study, internet users in Africa increases to 634 million with a 46.7% internet penetration rate.

Closer checks showed that Africa ranked third in the number of internet subscribers globally although the continent has the lowest internet penetration rate.

Other continents with high internet penetration rates include Latin America (Caribbean) 72.6%, Middle East 70%, North America 89.9% and Australia 67.4%.

Business Remarks discovered that although North America has the highest internet penetration rate of about 89.9%, the number of internet subscribers was 332 million, thereby taking the fifth position globally.

However, Australia has the lowest internet subscribers of about 29 million with a population of 43 million.

Further Analysis carried out by our correspondent showed that Africa has recorded 13,941% internet growth rate between year 2000 and 2020.

As at October 2020, 4.66 billion people were active internet subscribers as of October 2020, encompassing 59 percent of the global population.

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Mobile internet users account for 91% of total internet users, thereby becoming the most important channel for internet access worldwide, according to Statista in its report of the global digital population.

According to Statista, mobile internet subscribers hit 4.28 billion while active social media users hit 4.14 billion and active mobile social media users was placed at 4.08 billion as of October 2020.

Similarly, in a statement made available to Business Remarks, the Country Director, Google Nigeria, Juliet Ehimuan discosed that 346 million internet subscribers came online for the first time last year while statistics showed that 376 million became new social media users last year.

Nigeria

As at December 2020, Nigeria has 203,168,355 internet subscribers, according to statistics obtained from Internet World Stats.

With a population estimated at 211 million, Nigerian internet users has grown from 200 thousand in the year 2000 to 203 million as at December 2020.

The global record places Nigeria internet growth at 101,484% between the year 2000 – 2021.

The country also recorded over 32 million Facebook subscribers representing 16.1% penetration rate as at December 2020.