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Claim: Sam George, the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, claimed that Ghana’s internet penetration was 26% in 2017 and 81% in 2025.
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s checks revealed that Ghana’s internet penetration stood at 82.04% in 2017 and 85.55% in 2025, according to the National Communications Authority (NCA)’s data.
Full Text
Sam George, Ghana’s Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, claimed that internet penetration in Ghana moved from 26% in 2017 to around 81% by 2025.
He made the comment during a media interview while discussing the strides his ministry has made since his appointment in 2025.
Find the claim on Oyerepa TV’s YouTube channel from 1:40:44 to 1:41:02 minutes.
The minister addressed citizens’ challenges with networks and calls, attributing them to technical issues and the growing number of users on the existing telecommunications infrastructure.
Because of the personality involved, DUBAWA fact-checked these figures against official National Communications Authority (NCA) and World Bank data.
Verification
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) defines internet penetration as the percentage of a given population or region that actively has access to or uses the internet.
Mobile data, fixed data, and broadband wireless access penetration rates stood at 81.54%, 0.20%, and 0.30% in 2017, according to the 2017 Communications Industry Report (CIR) published by the NCA. By the end of 2017, internet penetration totalled 82.04%, based on fixed broadband, mobile network, and broadband wireless access subscriptions. The NCA determines this metric based on the number of active subscriptions per 100 residents.
Table showing internet access information in Ghana from 2013-2017. Image Source: NCA
See data from the CIR Reports for 2020 and 2021, all highlighting the internet penetration rate in 2017.
However, by the close of 2025, the mobile data, fixed data, fibre broadband, and broadband wireless access penetration rates stood at 85.03%, 0.52%, 0.78%, and 0.004%, respectively.
Also, according to data from DataReportal, Ghana’s internet penetration was estimated at 28% in Jan. 2017 and 35% by Jan. 2018. The rate increased from 69.9% in 2024 to 74.6% of the total population by the end of 2025.
Available data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) states that Ghana’s internet penetration was estimated at 37.9% in 2017 and 72.2% in 2024. The ITU data hub had no estimates for 2025 as of Oct. 20, 2026.
Ghana’s internet penetration rate from 2017 to 2024. Table source: ITU
According to the World Bank, 38% of Ghana’s population used the internet in 2017. The World Bank has no data on Ghana’s internet penetration rate for 2025.
World Bank Group line chart showing Ghana’s internet usage. Image source: World Bank Group
Both the ITU and World Bank defined Internet users as individuals who have used the Internet (from any location) in the last 3 months of the research.
Conclusion
The claim that Ghana’s internet penetration rate stood at 26% and 81% in 2017 and 2025 is false. Data from the NCA indicates that Ghana’s internet penetration was 82.04% in 2017 and 85.55% in 2025. Other records from the ITU and World Bank Group estimated Ghana’s internet penetration at 37.9% and 38%, respectively, in 2017.
