Placed 49th out of 214 countries ranked on the World Broadband Price League 2026,m Nigeria ranks among the countries with the lowest broadband costs globally.

This is according to Broadband Genie, which collected data on 2,631 broadband tariffs from 214 countries between January 27 and February 10, 2026.

The report ranked countries on average (median) broadband cost. Countries were ordered from cheapest to most expensive.

The company calculated the average monthly cost of fixed-line broadband services globally. Prices were sourced from official local Internet service provider websites or trusted broadband comparison sites.

The Guardian checks showed that broadband penetration is 53.8 per cent, while about 116.7 million Nigerians enjoy the service as of February.

According to the report, the average broadband service in Nigeria costs $23.25 (N31, 365.55).

Broadband Genie observed that emerging markets typically have cheaper broadband.

According to it, Egypt has an average broadband cost of $7.91, placing it in the top 10 (6th). Kenya ranked 89th at $38.75; Algeria was ranked 28th with $18.54; the Ivory Coast came 126th with $54.45 and South Africa was 119th with broadband services costing $50.2 (R823).

In other emerging markets, Vietnam is ranked 11th; Brazil, 47th and the Philippines, 78th.

According to the report, war-torn Iran has the cheapest broadband cost at $2.61. The report explained that as of February 2026, the Iranian rial had experienced significant depreciation against the dollar, with a significant effect on the prices.

“When we compare broadband prices in dollars, this currency effect makes them look much cheaper. The Iranian government heavily subsidises Internet infrastructure. This supports the National Information Network, a state-controlled intranet, which is mainly self-contained and operates separately from the global Internet.”

Ukraine has the second cheapest broadband, according to the World Broadband Price League, with an average cost of $5.35.

The report noted that despite the ongoing conflict, the country’s telecoms market remains resilient and highly competitive, supported by many providers and an extensive fibre-optic network.

Broadband Genie pointed out that low operating costs, coupled with intense competition – particularly in urban areas – enabled the development of efficient fibre broadband infrastructure, resulting in highly-affordable service offerings.

Ethiopia ($6.46) sits at number three. Most users in the country access the Internet via mobile data rather than fixed-line connections, and fixed broadband penetration remains low by global standards.

While prices may appear competitive in Ethiopia, Broadband Genie noted that the limited availability of fixed-line infrastructure means access to broadband services is still not widespread.

Broadband contracts in the region of North America have an average monthly cost of $98.40. Out of 214 countries, the U.S is ranked a poor 167th with an average broadband cost of $80. This places the U.S below other large Western economies. But the bar was set low: France (63rd), the United Kingdom (70th), Germany (105th) and Canada (130th). Looking at other economic powerhouses, China is ranked 16th, India is 8th and Japan is 76th.

Broadband expert at Broadband Genie, Alex Tofts, said: “Our Global Broadband Price League offers a snapshot of the fixed-line broadband market across the world of what people can sign up to today.

“The highest broadband costs are usually in remote countries. This includes places with tough terrain or island nations. These areas lack nearby states to help extend modern infrastructure. It’s important to note that many countries, especially in the Caribbean and Africa, mainly use mobile data to access the internet. Meaning, fixed-line broadband is not the main connectivity option for a large share of the population.”

By contrast, Tofts noted that many countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Southern Asia and South-Eastern Asia have low-cost broadband. This is often due to the widespread use of fibre, he explains.

“In Western economies such as the US, Canada and the UK, broadband prices are usually higher. This shows the overall cost of living is also higher there.”

IN a related development, Nigeria still struggles with Internet Freedom, among countries surveyed in another report.
According to Visual Capitalist in its “Mapped: Internet Freedom Around the World” report, Nigeria ranked among the mid-range pack, which included the U.S and the UK.

The map ranked 171 countries based on how freely people can access the Internet. The results revealed stark global differences, from highly open systems in parts of Europe and Latin America to tightly controlled networks in countries like North Korea and China.