Data costs remain key barrier to Africa’s AI future – Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia

Former Vice President of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia, has warned that the cost of mobile data remains a significant barrier to Africa’s participation in the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.

Delivering a keynote address at the LSE Africa Summit 2026 in London on 28 March, he stressed that while digitalisation is central to economic transformation, affordability challenges risk excluding millions from meaningful participation in the digital economy, noting that policymakers must focus not just on connectivity, but on “who is online meaningfully with affordable data, adequate speeds, and reliable service.”

Dr Bawumia explained that although internet penetration across Africa has improved, access remains uneven and often limited by cost. Citing global benchmarks, he pointed out that “cost remains a significant factor,” adding that in 2025, entry-level mobile broadband prices on the continent were still above the United Nations’ affordability threshold. The former Vice President warned that this undermines efforts to expand inclusive digital access across African economies.

Focusing on Ghana, he said the cost of 1GB of data currently ranges between approximately $0.05 and $1.50, depending on the provider and bundle. While this positions Ghana relatively well compared to peers, he emphasised the disparity in real access, stating that “internet access is relatively affordable for middle- and high-income groups; however, it remains costly for low-income households,” largely due to income inequality and the structure of the informal sector.

He stressed that these affordability gaps directly affect Africa’s ability to leverage artificial intelligence, warning that limited access to affordable data could deepen inequality.

“Before we debate algorithms, we must be disciplined about the foundations that enable adoption at scale,” he said, adding that without affordable connectivity, AI risks benefiting only a narrow segment of the population. Dr Bawumia therefore called for urgent and deliberate policy action to address the challenge, urging governments to prioritise infrastructure and affordability.

“Africa’s AI agenda is also an infrastructure agenda,” he stated, emphasising that reducing data costs and expanding access would be critical to ensuring the continent does not fall behind in the global digital and AI-driven economy.