In a list of the ten most expensive data [internet] prices in Africa, the Gambia is ranked ninth, according to a survey by cable.co.uk, a prominent broadband, TV, and phone comparison site.
According to the ranking, The Gambia has a 1GB [gigabyte] average price of $3.56, which is little more than D225. The nation is ranked 202 out of all nations with the lowest data rates in the world.
With an average cost of $5.86 per gigabyte, The Gambia was eighth in Africa last year for most costly mobile data consumption.
According to the survey, data affordability is still a major problem in Africa, where a number of nations are among the most costly in the world.
“Higher data prices in the chosen African countries are caused by a number of reasons. Lack of competition among telecom companies, poor infrastructure, and particular government regulations are some of the difficulties. As a consequence, many individuals in these countries encounter obstacles when trying to access internet resources, which might reduce their chances of making social and economic progress, according to the research.
The high cost of internet and data in The Gambia is a worry for everyone, but the government ‘cannot compel’ providers to lower their costs, according to Ousman Bah, the minister of communications and the digital economy, who spoke to MPs last month. “We cannot force them to reduce the fees or the amount of charges they are charging unless there is a market assessment, and that is the responsibility of Pura,” Minister Bah said to the Assembly.
While the regulating body Pura is criticized for not doing more to address the high cost of data in the nation, GSM carriers in The Gambia have often come under fire for charging expensive costs for data and internet, making credit withdrawals, and providing subpar services, among other things.
However, Pura DG Yusupha Jobe earlier this year informed The Standard that new monitoring equipment has been obtained to track and evaluate operators’ service quality and look into data and other concerns.