The high cost of devices and internet services remains the biggest barrier keeping more than one million Zimbabwean households without internet access, highlighting affordability as a major obstacle to the country's digital economy ambitions.
Data from the 2025 ICT Access Household and Individual Survey shows that 55.6 percent of households without internet access identified the cost of equipment as the main barrier, while 36.4 percent said the cost of internet services was too high.
Economist Lethukuthula Khozah said the figures showed that expanding digital participation required more than network infrastructure.
“According to the 2025 ICT Access Household & Individual Survey, 55.6% of households without internet cite the cost of equipment as the biggest barrier, while 36.4% say the service itself is too expensive,” Khozah said.
“To have a digital economy, access to affordable devices, data and reliable electricity has to be part of the equation.”
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The survey data shows that affordability outweighs several other barriers reported by households without internet access.
About 18.4 percent said they did not need the internet, while 15.2 percent reported having access elsewhere.
Lack of electricity affected 12.4 percent of households, while 11.2 percent said internet service was not available in their area.
Only 2.1 percent said the service did not meet their household needs, while the same proportion cited cultural or religious reasons. Privacy or security concerns were reported by 0.9 percent.
The findings point to a distinction between availability and effective access. A household may be within network coverage but still remain digitally excluded if it cannot afford a smartphone, computer or the data required to use online services.
Zimbabwe has made significant progress in connectivity. Recent reporting on the 2025 survey indicates that 96.4 percent of households had access to a mobile phone, while smartphone access stood at 75.1 percent. Home internet access was reported at 75.5 percent, although significant urban-rural differences remain.
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