Report shows Zambia’s active internet users now 11.1 million, representing 6.73% growth in 2022

Zambia has posted an increase in internet penetration rate with active users currently at over 11.1 million.

Figures from the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) indicate an increase active internet subscriptions in the country to 11.1 million recorded at the end of 2022 from 10.4 million subscriptions reported at the end of 2021.

ZICTA in the 2022 Annual Market Performance Report for the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) released by its Manager Corporate Communications Hanford Chaaba, indicated that the figures represented a growth of 6.73 percent.

“Consequently, the increase in the total number of active internet subscriptions reflected a marginal increase in the internet penetration rate from 56.7 per 100 inhabitants reported in 2021 to 56.8 per 100 inhabitants attained in 2022.

“This increase was partly attributed to the increased investment in 3G/4G networks as well as other emerging technologies. The Lit/equipped capacity among the mobile network operators reduced to 181,740 Megabits per second (Mbps) reported in 2021 to 155487 Mbps in 2022 representing a decline of 14.4 percent,” Chaaba said.

He however stated that the capacity usage increased to 126,199.82 Mbps in 2022 from 89,280 Mbps in 2021, reflecting a growth rate of 41.4 percent.

This, Chaaba said, also reflected increased utilisation of data services among users.

Meanwhile, Chaaba said the volume of domestic outgoing traffic increased to 28.5 billion minutes in 2022 from 24.4 billion minutes in 2021, reflecting a growth rate of 17 percent.

“The increase in domestic outgoing traffic was mainly attributed to the continued favourable pricing arising from discounted minutes offered through bundled packages by operators who continued to increase the number of minutes in bundled packages as a strategy for customer acquisition and gaining a competitive edge on the market.

“The volume of both the outgoing and incoming international traffic continued on a downward trajectory in 2022,” he said.

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