A comprehensive analysis of Ghana’s 96th position on 2023 World Digital Quality of Life Index

Ghana's digital quality of life has been ranked 96th out of 121 countries in the 2023 Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index, an annual study by cybersecurity company, Surfshark.

This represents an eight-place drop from the previous year. The index, which covers 92% of the global population, measures each country's digital wellbeing across five core pillars.

"We cannot ignore the fact that 'digital quality of life' has become synonymous with overall 'quality of life' as a growing number of everyday activities, including work, education, and leisure, are conducted online. This makes it vital to identify and improve the areas where a nation's digital quality of life needs attention, which is exactly what the DQL Index aims to do," said Gabriele Racaityte-Krasauske, a spokeswoman for Surfshark.

Ghana's Digital Performance Across the Five Pillars:

In the five pillars of the index, Ghana fared best in e-security, ranking 83rd.

Nevertheless, it faced significant challenges in e-infrastructure, where it placed 108th.

The country also scored 86th in internet quality, 89th in e-government, and 103rd in internet affordability.

Among African countries, Ghana ranks 9th, surpassing Ivory Coast (103rd) but falling behind Nigeria (88th).

Internet Quality and Affordability in Ghana:

Ghana's internet quality is 15% lower than the global average, with fixed internet speed averaging 58 Mbps and mobile internet speed averaging 15 Mbps.

In comparison, Ghana's mobile internet is 53% slower than Ivory Coast's, but its fixed broadband is 11% faster.

However, the cost of internet access in Ghana remains a challenge. Ghanaians need to work 15 hours and 18 minutes a month to afford fixed broadband internet, which is 51 times longer than in Romania—the country with the world's most affordable fixed internet.

For mobile internet, Ghanaians need to work 2 hours, 39 minutes, and 30 seconds a month—10 times longer than in Luxembourg, the country with the world's most affordable mobile internet.

E-security, E-infrastructure, and E-government:

In e-security, which measures a country's preparedness against cybercrime and the sophistication of its data protection laws, Ghana ranks 83rd—11 places down from 2022.

When it comes to e-infrastructure, which evaluates internet penetration and network readiness, Ghana ranks 108th. The country also lags behind in e-government, ranking 89th.

Global Trends and Methodology:
Globally, the affordability of internet access has improved. Fixed internet is 11% more affordable than last year, and mobile internet is 26% more affordable.

The DQL Index 2023 examined 121 nations based on five core pillars encompassing 14 indicators, using data from the United Nations, the World Bank, and other sources.

The study reaffirms Surfshark's commitment to global representation, adding four more countries than in 2022.

About Surfshark:
Surfshark is a cybersecurity company specializing in developing humanized privacy and security solutions, including VPNs audited by independent security experts, a certified antivirus, a private search tool, and a data leak alert system.

The Independent recognized Surfshark as the Editor's Choice for Best Value VPN 2023.