Share of the population using the Internet in Somalia
Somalia: Share of the population using the Internet was 27.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Somalia, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population using the internet in Somalia is 27.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 7.0% on the previous year and up 1,614.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Somalia peaked at 27.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
That places Somalia 186th out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in Somalia, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | 0.0% | — |
| 1996 | 0.0% | — |
| 1997 | 0.0% | +95.4% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | +142.7% |
| 1999 | 0.0% | +94.1% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | +43.9% |
| 2001 | 0.1% | +295.2% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | +46.3% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +225.4% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | +180.0% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 1.1% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 1.1% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 1.2% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 1.4% | +10.1% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | +9.0% |
| 2014 | 1.6% | +8.7% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | +8.0% |
| 2016 | 1.9% | +6.8% |
| 2019 | 2.7% | +45.3% |
| 2020 | 15.0% | +450.0% |
| 2021 | 23.9% | +58.9% |
| 2022 | 27.6% | +15.6% |
| 2023 | 26.1% | -5.4% |
| 2024 | 27.9% | +7.0% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 27.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 19.0%, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 27.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.5%, 81% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population using the Internet in Somalia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +450.0% | 2.7% | 15.0% |
| 2001 | +295.2% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2003 | +225.4% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 2004 | +180.0% | 0.4% | 1.1% |
| 1998 | +142.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1997 | +95.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 6 |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 0.0% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.7% | 1.2% | 2.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 24.1% | 15.0% | 27.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 183 Guinea-Bissau 29.8% compare
- 184 Solomon Islands 29.0% compare
- 185 Burkina Faso 28.3% compare
- 187 Sierra Leone 25.1% compare
- 188 Vanuatu 22.4% compare
- 189 Ethiopia 21.9% compare
More science & technology data for Somalia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 53.96 (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.5396 units per person (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0009 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 9.91 million (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 15.79 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 8.61 % change on previous year (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 12.01 % change on previous year (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 151.88 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population using the internet in Somalia?
- Share of the population using the internet in Somalia was 27.9% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 27.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Somalia rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Somalia ranks 186th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,614.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.