As it does every month, Speedtest by Ookla, the world leader in Internet connectivity intelligence, has updated its Speedtest Global Index, which ranks the performance of mobile and fixed networks around the world.
This ranking is based on millions of tests performed by consumers via the Speedtest application, covering more than 200 countries. The index is made up of two key performance indicators: download speed and latency (network response time), a key indicator of a network’s responsiveness.
In the latest update at the end of December 2024, Tunisia ranks 4th in Africa and 90th in the world in terms of median mobile download speed, with 27.12 Mbps. It also has a median transfer rate of 14.09 Mbps and a latency of 20 ms.
In terms of other African countries, South Africa ranks first on the continent (61st globally) with a mobile download speed of 9.17 Mbps. Although this is the best African performance, it is still well below the global average of 11.82 Mbps for the same period.
Morocco follows in 64th place globally with 45.67 Mbps, followed by Kenya in 85th place with 28.85 Mbps. Fifth place goes to Egypt (92nd) with a speed of 24.20 Mbps, while Algeria (95th) is also at 24.20 Mbps.
These global rankings clearly reflect the fact that the African continent lags behind other regions of the world in terms of connectivity. Despite progress in recent years, performance in terms of download and data transfer speeds remains well below global standards.
This is due to a number of factors, including inadequate infrastructure, limited investment in technology and the high cost of Internet access, particularly in rural areas.
In terms of mobile connectivity, the United Arab Emirates leads with a speed of 453.87 Mbps, closely followed by Qatar (383.50 Mbps) and Kuwait (257.30 Mbps). Bulgaria and Denmark complete the top 5 with 187.27 Mbps and 169.26 Mbps respectively.
For fixed broadband, Singapore leads with 330.98 Mbps, well ahead of Hong Kong (306.58 Mbps) and the United Arab Emirates (304.24 Mbps), also in the top 3. France, which has moved up one place, is now fourth with 279.22 Mbps, while Chile completes the top 5 with 276.29 Mbps.