Almost five million (4.9 million) persons 15 years and older did not own a functional smartphone in Ghana with almost twice as many females (3.0 million) not owning smartphones compared to males (1.8 million).

According to data from the Ghana Statistical Service, the percentage of the population that did not own smartphones was similar to the percentage that was offline.

One in every four (24.6%) persons, two in every 10 males (19.2%), and three in every 10 females (29.6%) 15 years and older did not also own a functional smartphone.

Savannah (57.3%), North East (55.2%), and Northern (50.7%) regions had the highest percentage of the population 15 years and older that did not own functional smartphones.

In all, 40 districts had more than half of the population that did not own functional smartphones. It was led by North East Gonja (76.0%).

The only district where over three-quarters of the population did not own smartphones were Karaga (73.0%), Mion (72.3%) and Gushegu Municipal (71.8%).

The report further indicated that more than half of the population 15 years and older did not use the internet in the Savannah (58.7%), North East (55.8%) and Northern (51.5%) regions which had the highest proportion of persons that were offline.

All regions, with the exception of Greater Accra, had more than 10.0% of this population group that did not use the internet within the three months.