South Africa's Digital Statistics 2023

Overview

The report titled "Digital 2023: South Africa" by Simon Kemp provides a comprehensive analysis of the digital landscape in South Africa as of 2023. It offers insights into how people in South Africa use digital devices and services, with a focus on internet use, social media use, and mobile use. The report also provides user numbers for all the top social platforms. The data is collected from various sources and analyzed to provide a clear picture of the digital adoption and use in South Africa. This report is valuable for anyone interested in understanding the digital trends and behaviors in South Africa.

Key Figures

• There were 43.48 million internet users in South Africa at the start of 2023, with an internet penetration rate of 72.3 percent.
• South Africa had 25.80 million social media users in January 2023, equating to 42.9 percent of the total population.
• A total of 112.7 million cellular mobile connections were active in South Africa in early 2023, equivalent to 187.4 percent of the total population.
• The median age of South Africa’s population is 27.5.
• Median mobile internet connection speed via cellular networks was 36.70 Mbps.
• Median fixed internet connection speed was 40.12 Mbps.

Key Takeaways

• There is a significant opportunity for digital growth in South Africa, with 27.7 percent of the population still offline at the beginning of 2023.
• Social media use continues to rise, making it a powerful tool for businesses and marketers to reach a wider audience.
• The high number of cellular mobile connections indicates a strong mobile market, suggesting that businesses should consider mobile-first strategies.
• The median age suggests a young population, which could influence the type of digital content and platforms that are popular.
• The increase in internet connection speeds indicates improving infrastructure, which could enable more sophisticated digital services and applications.