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High data costs deny many opportunities, shows analysis

Many African countries are struggling with expensive data prices, but Malawians are paying more than their counterparts on the continent, according to analysis by Statista, an online platform specialised in market and consumer data.

The analysis published on Friday shows that Internet data prices in Malawi are the third most expensive after Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome.

More people are now using the Internet

According to the data, in Equatorial Guinea, one gigabyte (GB) of mobile data costs $49.67 (about K51 458), $30.97 (about K31 992) in Sao Tome and Principe while in Malawi, it costs $25.46 (K26 376) on pay as you go basis.

Reads the analysis in part: “The high cost of mobile data in African countries can be attributed to various factors, including the unavailability of infrastructure and high taxation in the African telecoms industry.

“This makes it difficult for many Africans to stay connected to the Internet and access vital services such as healthcare, education and finance.”

Reacting to the analysis on Monday, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority director general Daud Suleman said the regulator is working on lowering the cost of data by actively engaging service providers and neighbouring countries which carry Internet traffic for Malawi to lower their costs through a project called Diplomatic Data Corridors.

He said: “So far, Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique are ready to sign agreements that will give Malawi cheaper data.

“We are also rolling out licensing of district-based broadband operators that will provide alternative and cheaper Internet service.”

United Nations Governance Forum Multistakeholder Advisory Group member Bram Fudzulani, who is also immediate-past president of Information and Communications Technology Association of Malawi, said while access to devices is a challenge, the current economic status is also another setback.

“Not all Malawians have the luxury of Internet access,” he said. In its recent 2022 Malawi Voluntary National Review Report for Sustainable Development Goals, National Planning Commission and Ministry of Finance said the proportion of individuals using the Internet has increased to 14.6 percent in 2021 from 13.8 percent in 2017.

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