Digital safety remains low in Africa, according to Afrobarometer survey

March 2, 2026

AFRIXCANS are increasingly online, but awareness and practice of digital safety remain low, an Afrobarometer telephone survey across seven African countries has found.

Most adults in these countries access the internet frequently, but many remain unfamiliar with digital security measures and practice them inconsistently if at all, the survey shows.

On average across Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania, most respondents say they worry about the security of their personal data online and believe their mobile phones are the most vulnerable devices to digital threats.

Many respondents are unaware of online protection tools, and few apply online safety tools and practices, especially those that provide stronger protection, such as two-factor authentication, VPNs and antivirus software.

Respondents said they tended to rely heavily on informal sources, such as social media and friends or family, for guidance on digital safety, while more structured resources – such as workplace training or online tutorials – are less frequently used.

Though limited to seven countries and respondents over age 17, these findings highlight significant gaps in digital literacy and suggest a need for targeted education and accessible resources to ensure that Africa’s growing digital footprint is both empowering and secure, according to Afrobarometer

On average across the seven surveyed countries, among adults who access internet content, a vast majority (84 per cent) said they did so “every day” or “a few times a week”.

Mobile phones are the primary mechanism for accessing the internet (85 per cent) while young adults (aged 18-35) are more likely to be regular internet users (87 per cent) than older cohorts (74-83 per cent).

The survey found that more than eight in 10 respondents (82 per cent) said they got news “every day” or “a few times a week” from social media platforms.

In addition, half (51 per cent) said they got news regularly from other internet sites while more than half (52 per cent) expressed concern about the security of their personal information online, and 81 per cent thought mobile phones were more vulnerable to harmful online activities than computers and other devices.

Only about one-third (32 per cent) of respondents considered themselves “somewhat” (22 per cent) or “very” (10 per cent) familiar with tools and skills they can use to protect their digital privacy and information.

The use of protective tools and practices by internet users was highly variable with more than seven in 10 (72 per cent) saying they used strong passwords to protect their online information, though only about half (52 per cent) of Beninese made that claim.

Other security measures were much less likely to be commonly used, including two-factor authentication (33 per cent), antivirus software (30 per cent), and 21 per cent using virtual private networks (VPNs).

Most respondents said they relied on friends and family (62 per cent) and/or social media (60 per cent) to learn about online safety tools.

Fewer than half turned to online videos/tutorials (48 per cent), news websites (32 per cent), and the workplace (29 per cent) as sources of information about online safety.

Afrobarometer is a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life.