Figure 5.4a Access to last-mile infrastructures and internet adoption, Africa, 2005–2025
An often overlooked dimension of digital inequality is the technology gap, which is the difference in the quality and capability of the digital tools available to users. Together with the infrastructure and usage gaps, it shapes how effectively individuals, firms and public institutions can apply digital technologies in daily life and economic activities. Ultimately, these gaps determine the kinds of innovations that emerge, who benefits from digital transformation and to what extent.31 For instance, while nearly 74 percent of Europe's population had access to there are stark disparities in the quality of mobile networks, which varies between urban and