Lagos, Jan. 3, 2025 – About 5.5 billion people in the world were connected to the Internet as of 2024, an increase of 227 million users over the figure in 2023.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) disclosed this in its latest publication on “Facts and Figures 2024”.
It said the 5.5 billion internet users in 2024 represents just about 68 per cent of the global population.
The ITU reported that 93 per cent of the people in high income countries were connected to the internet against the 27 per cent in low income countries.
It also said that only 35 per cent of residents in the least developed countries and 39 per cent in landlocked developing countries are online.
Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, the Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, while commenting on the report, said: “The world is inching towards universal access at a time that it should be sprinting”.
The report stressed the need for intensified efforts to bridge the digital gaps to achieve closer connectivity across the world.
The ITU said that bridging the digital divide was essential for ensuring equitable opportunities for education, employment and social inclusion. (GBN)
