By 
Former Vice President of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia, has raised concerns over the rising cost of mobile data, warning that affordability challenges could significantly limit Africa’s ability to compete in the global artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem.
Speaking at the LSE Africa Summit 2026 held in London on March 28, Bawumia highlighted that while digitalisation remains central to economic transformation, limited access to affordable internet continues to exclude millions from meaningful participation in the digital economy.
He stressed that policymakers must move beyond expanding connectivity to addressing the quality, affordability, and reliability of access—key factors that underpin inclusive growth and effective regulatory compliance in digital ecosystems.
“It is not just about who is online, but who is online meaningfully—with affordable data, adequate speeds, and reliable service,” he said.
Bawumia noted that despite steady improvements in internet penetration across Africa, access remains uneven, with high data costs posing a major constraint. According to him, mobile broadband prices in many African countries still exceed the affordability threshold set by global benchmarks, limiting widespread adoption of digital services and weakening compliance technology deployment.
Focusing on Ghana, he explained that the cost of 1GB of data ranges between approximately $0.05 and $1.50 depending on the provider and subscription plan. While relatively competitive, he acknowledged that affordability remains a challenge for low-income households, largely due to income inequality and the structure of the informal economy.
“Internet access may be relatively affordable for middle- and high-income groups, but it is still costly for many low-income households,” he noted.
He warned that these disparities could undermine Africa’s readiness to harness AI and other emerging technologies, potentially widening digital and economic inequalities. Without affordable access, the adoption of advanced technologies—including RegTech solutions, compliance automation, and data privacy frameworks—may remain limited to a small segment of the population.
“Before we debate algorithms, we must be disciplined about the foundational infrastructure that enables adoption at scale,” Bawumia added.
The former Vice President called for targeted policy interventions to address these challenges, urging governments to prioritise infrastructure investments, promote competition, and implement reforms that reduce data costs. Such measures, he noted, are essential for strengthening regulatory frameworks, enabling regulatory monitoring, and supporting innovation across sectors.
He further emphasised that Africa’s ambitions in AI and digital transformation are closely tied to its infrastructure readiness, describing affordable connectivity as a critical enabler of innovation, economic inclusion, and risk mitigationin a data-driven economy.
“Africa’s AI agenda is also an infrastructure agenda,” he said, underscoring the need for coordinated efforts to ensure that digital growth translates into broad-based development.
The remarks reinforce growing calls for stronger collaboration between governments, regulators, and industry players to address affordability barriers, enhance regulatory intelligence, and accelerate the adoption of digital and AI-driven solutions across the continent.
Comments