Africa's digital landscape is facing significant challenges, according to the 2024 Surfshark Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL), which evaluates 121 countries based on five key pillars: internet affordability, internet quality, e-infrastructure, e-security, and e-government. The index reveals that African nations are struggling to provide a good digital quality of life to their citizens, with only three countries making it to the top 100 globally.

The DQL index assesses a country's overall digital well-being through 14 indicators, providing insight into how nations compare in terms of digital quality of life on a global scale. The results show that European countries dominated the top 10 positions, while only 18 of the top 50 ranked countries were from regions outside Europe.

In Africa, South Africa leads the continent at 66th place globally, followed closely by Morocco (69th) and Mauritius (77th). These countries have relatively better digital infrastructure, internet accessibility, and online security compared to their regional counterparts. However, most African nations rank lower, reflecting challenges such as high internet costs, slow connectivity, and underdeveloped digital infrastructure.

The digital divide is a significant issue in Africa, where large segments of the population, particularly in rural areas, lack reliable internet access and digital literacy. This limits opportunities for education, business, and communication, widening socio-economic disparities. Many Africans still struggle with slow internet speeds, expensive data costs, and inconsistent network coverage, restricting access to essential digital services such as online banking, e-commerce, and telemedicine.

The DQL rankings highlight the need for stronger investment in digital services to improve internet quality and accessibility across the continent. Nigeria, for instance, ranked 100th globally, dropping 12 places from the previous year. The country trails behind South Africa (66th) and Kenya (89th) in digital quality of life.

The ranking is a wake-up call for African governments to prioritize digital development and invest in digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and technological accessibility. By doing so, they can bridge the digital divide, enhance economic opportunities, and improve the overall quality of life for their citizens.

The full ranking of the top 10 African countries with the best digital quality of life is as follows:

1. South Africa (66th)

2. Morocco (69th)

3. Mauritius (77th)

4. Egypt (79th)

5. Tunisia (82nd)

6. Ghana (88th)

7. Kenya (89th)

8. Angola (91st)

9. Senegal (93rd)

10. Ivory Coast (94th)

The 2024 Surfshark Digital Quality of Life Index serves as a reminder of the importance of digital development in Africa and the need for sustained efforts to improve the continent's digital landscape.