Dr Bawumia raises concern over high data costs limiting Africa's AI potential

Former Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has cautioned that the high cost of mobile data remains a major obstacle to Africa’s participation in the global Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution.

Speaking at the LSE Africa Summit 2026 in London on March 28, Dr Bawumia emphasised that while digitalisation is key to economic transformation, affordability challenges continue to exclude millions from meaningful participation in the digital economy.

He urged policymakers to shift focus beyond mere connectivity to the quality and affordability of access.

“It is not just about who is online, but who is online meaningfully—with affordable data, adequate speeds, and reliable service,” he stated.

Dr Bawumia noted that although internet penetration across Africa has improved in recent years, access remains uneven and is often constrained by high costs.

Citing global benchmarks, he explained that entry-level mobile broadband prices across the continent in 2025 remained above the affordability threshold set by the United Nations, a situation he said undermines efforts to achieve inclusive digital access.

Focusing on Ghana, he indicated that the cost of 1GB of data ranges between approximately $0.05 and $1.50, depending on the provider and bundle.

While this places the country in a relatively competitive position, he stressed that affordability remains a challenge for low-income households.

“Internet access may be relatively affordable for middle- and high-income groups, but it is still costly for many low-income households,” he noted, attributing the disparity to income inequality and the structure of the informal sector.

Dr Bawumia warned that these gaps could hinder Africa’s ability to fully leverage AI, potentially widening existing inequalities.

“Before we debate algorithms, we must be disciplined about the foundations that enable adoption at scale,” he said, cautioning that without affordable connectivity, the benefits of AI could remain concentrated among a limited segment of the population.

He therefore called for urgent and deliberate policy interventions, urging governments to prioritise infrastructure development and reduce data costs.

“Africa’s AI agenda is also an infrastructure agenda,” he added, stressing that expanding affordable access will be critical to ensuring the continent remains competitive in the rapidly evolving digital and AI-driven global economy.