The seventh edition of the Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL) by cybersecurity company, Surfshark, ranks South Africa 75th globally, previously placed at 66th. The study assesses countries’ overall digital wellbeing across five areas: internet affordability, internet quality, digital infrastructure, digital security, and artificial intelligence. South Africa outperforms Kenya (95th) and Nigeria (97th). Finland tops the index, while the USA leads the artificial intelligence pillar despite ranking 16th overall.
South Africa performed best in internet affordability, claiming 51st place, but faced challenges in internet quality, ranking 87th. The nation ranks 63rd in artificial intelligence, a newly introduced pillar in this year’s edition, 79th in digital security, and 82nd in digital infrastructure.
“Measuring digital quality of life is no longer possible without looking at AI implementation, which is why we made AI one of the core pillars of our global benchmark report. It shows whether a country is attractive to AI investments and ready to integrate the technology into public services. Higher positioning in AI development can streamline routine work, create new job positions, enhance public services and support sustainable economic growth,” says Tomas Stamulis, chief security officer at Surfshark.
“Since AI is here to stay, all countries should start prioritising reliable nationwide connectivity,“ he adds. “That includes modernising and securing IT systems, training and reskilling their workforce, and adopting clear laws with effective oversight. However, what is concerning is that even some of the highest ranked countries in AI development still lack strong data protection laws, which is essential when processing large volumes of sensitive information.”
South Africa ranks lower in artificial intelligence than 51% of the countries analysed, with 62 countries above, and is 79th in the world in digital security, four places lower than last year.
Digital security measures how safe people are online. South Africa is unprepared to fight against cybercrime, although the country has some data protection laws.
Its internet quality is lower than the global average, ranking 87th globally.
• South Africa’s fixed internet averages 85 Mbps. The world’s fastest fixed internet, Singapore’s, is 463 Mbps.
• South Africa’s mobile internet averages 105 Mbps. The fastest mobile internet, the UAE’s, is 576 Mbps.
Compared to Kenya, South Africa’s mobile internet is 49% faster, while fixed internet is 181% faster. Since last year, mobile internet speed in South Africa has improved by 15%, while fixed internet speed has grown by 7%.
The internet is affordable in South Africa compared to other countries.
• South Africans have to work about 1 hour 32 minutes a month to afford fixed internet. While this is less than average, it is eight times more than in Bulgaria, which has the world’s most affordable fixed internet (Bulgarians have to work 11 minutes and 26 seconds a month to afford it).
• South Africans have to work about 1 hour 6 minutes a month to afford mobile internet. This is 9 times more than in Angola, which has the world’s most affordable mobile internet (Angolans have to work 7 minutes and 27 seconds a month to afford it).
South Africa still struggles in digital infrastructure
Advanced digital infrastructure makes it easy for people to use the internet for daily life, from working and studying to shopping. This part of the study looks at how many people have internet access and how ready a country is to make the most of digital technologies. In South Africa, 76% of people have internet access, ranking 85th in the world, while the country ranks 70th for network readiness.
“Artificial intelligence can transform economies and improve quality of life,” says Stamulis. “But without investment in digital infrastructure and ensuring society is ready to use these tools, AI risks widening the digital divide, leaving some countries with vulnerable populations behind.”
Europe still leads overall digital wellbeing, but lags in AI development.
Finland tops the global digital quality of life ranking, followed by Germany, Denmark and Switzerland. Europe accounts for nine of the top ten countries, though Singapore has joined the top ten this year. In AI development, the USA is in the lead, followed by Singapore and South Korea. Europe has four countries in the top rankings: the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
To access South Africa’s full profile and interactive comparisons visit www.surfshark.com/research/dql/country/
For more information contact Vaiva Norkunaite, Surfshark,
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