The research assessed global cities based on key aspects of digital infrastructure, including internet speed, public Wi-Fi availability, CCTV coverage, and access to smart city solutions like pollution monitoring, transport digitisation, and real-time traffic updates.

Dubai secured the top position with an overall score of 79.1, standing out for its extensive CCTV coverage (88.5) and high-speed internet, ranking second globally in internet performance. 

The city also scored high in online maintenance reporting, leading digital connectivity.

Shanghai and Seoul Follow Closely

Shanghai took second place with a score of 71.4, the highest ratings in pollution monitoring (89.7), digital transport infrastructure (87.5), and real-time traffic information (88.1). The Chinese city’s online maintenance reporting system (84.5) also outperformed Dubai’s by 8%.

Seoul ranked third with a score of 70.0. The South Korean capital showed strong performance in public Wi-Fi accessibility and CCTV coverage (80.6), alongside its commendable digital nomad ranking of 4.5, which was higher than both Dubai and Shanghai.

Beijing and Singapore Strengthen Asia’s Digital Dominance

Beijing took fourth place with a score of 66.3, doing great in pollution monitoring (86.5) and digital transport solutions (83.7). Singapore followed in fifth place, scoring 64.6. 

While its transport infrastructure digitisation (63.2) trailed the top four cities, Singapore outperformed Dubai in CCTV coverage (80.8) and pollution tracking (62.0).

Europe and North America’s Digital Competitors

Amsterdam ranked seventh with a score of 55.3, making it the highest-placed European city. The Dutch capital had a strong digital nomad ranking (5.1) and reliable internet connectivity, earning a Speedtest global rank of 22.

Barcelona followed in eighth place with 53.3, standing out for having the highest digital nomad rating (5.8) among the top ten cities. However, its CCTV coverage (41.2) and pollution monitoring systems (41.0) were lower compared to the leading cities.

New York City was the only North American city on the list, ranking ninth with a score of 51.9. The U.S. city had nearly double Amsterdam’s CCTV coverage (57.2) but lagged behind Barcelona in transport digitisation by 7%.

Stockholm rounded out the top ten with a score of 51.8, standing out for its internet connectivity (ranked 15th globally) and having the most advanced digital transport infrastructure among European cities (70.0). However, its pollution monitoring score (57.8) fell below the overall top ten average.

The Rise of Digital-First Cities

Brian Minick, chief operating officer at ZeroBounce, commented on the study, stating: “It’s fascinating to see the data ranking the cities with the strongest digital infrastructure around the world. This infrastructure not only improves transportation and public safety but also enhances access to essential services like healthcare and digital governance. Our study shows that cities in the Middle East and Asia lead in forward-thinking technology and thus streamline public services, improve mobility, and create safer, more connected environments.”

The findings reveal how much countries are relying on digital infrastructure across the world, with Middle Eastern and Asian cities at the top of technological advancements.

Meanwhile, 9mobile is far behind, its presence barely felt in the game. According to nPerf’s 2024 report, which analysed mobile internet performance across Nigeria, MTN has not let loose its grip on the market. 

From January 1 to December 31, 2024, MTN led mobile internet in Nigeria across every measurable category, with great performance. Its subscribers enjoyed an average download speed of 17.82 Mbps, leaving Airtel at 9.98 Mbps and Glo at a distant 5.66 Mbps. 

Upload speeds were similar, with MTN averaging 8.05 Mbps, Airtel 4.35 Mbps, and Glo 3.43 Mbps, even as reliance on solid internet connectivity never stopped increasing.

Latency, an important metric for real-time applications such as video calls and gaming, further enhanced MTN’s place in the market. The network achieved an average latency of 79.44 ms, comfortably outperforming Glo’s 89.44 ms and Airtel’s 119.85 ms. 

These figures are particularly important during peak periods (6 PM to 11 PM) when the network issues are at the highest. MTN’s ability to maintain consistent latency levels during these busy hours speaks to its superior infrastructure.

Beyond raw speeds, the quality of experience (QoE) was also analysed. In browsing performance, MTN scored an average success rate of 36.08%, surpassing Airtel at 28.86%, while Glo lagged at 29.42%. 

This difference was also seen in video streaming, where MTN recorded an average streaming success rate of 72.35%, overshadowing Airtel’s 67.04% and Glo’s 53.81%. The data disclosed that whether downloading, browsing, or streaming, MTN subscribers always enjoyed the best experiences.

Airtel, despite being a distant second in most metrics, delivered a commendable performance in specific areas, particularly video streaming. Its streaming rate, at 67.04%, shows a strong emphasis on delivering quality experiences in this domain. 

However, Airtel’s inability to match MTN’s speeds, browsing performance and latency asserted the gap between the two providers.

Glo, on the other hand, had steady progress throughout 2024. Although it lagged in download (5.66 Mbps) and upload speeds (3.43 Mbps), its performance in latency (89.44 ms) revealed some improvement in network responsiveness. 

Glo’s focus on enhancing connectivity is obvious, but it remains apparent that the provider has some ground to cover before it can challenge the likes of MTN or even Airtel.

In 2024, 9mobile lost approximately 8 million subscribers, a huge decline largely attributed to the National Identification Number (NIN) and SIM card verification exercise conducted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). 

Many subscribers had their lines deactivated due to unverified NINs. Adding to its issues, 9mobile experienced ongoing service disruptions throughout the year, which included frequent network outages, poor coverage, and unresponsive customer service. 

Again, the company faced multiple fibre cuts and infrastructure damages, worsening its service quality challenges. While it was undeniably a tough year for 9mobile, its absence from the statistical report is a story in itself. 

With no representation in the nPerf report, it seems to have resigned itself to the shadows, and we are left to hope that the company will gain back and surpass its place in the competitive mobile internet market.

The methodology behind nPerf’s analysis included the incorporation of millions of user-initiated tests across busy and idle hours, with the report providing an apt and transparent evaluation of network performance. 

The nPerf score, which combines download and upload speeds, latency, and QoE metrics, ensures a holistic assessment of user experience. 

In 2024, MTN’s overall nPerf score was 39,475 points, way above Airtel’s 26,513 points and Glo’s 19,684 points. These figures encapsulate the overall quality of service each provider delivered throughout the year.

In all, MTN’s top place in 2024 was neither accidental nor marginal. Its performance across download and upload speeds, latency, and QoE can be linked to a well-rounded approach to network resilience. 

Airtel showed flashes of brilliance in specific areas, while Glo was behind with incremental improvements. The competition among these providers leaves us watching to see if MTN will maintain its place in 2025 or if other mobile internet providers will meet up and surpass with even better performance.

This initiative comes in light of the increasing competition from Starlink, the satellite internet service that has rapidly gained traction since its entry into the Kenyan market last year.

Effective immediately, Safaricom has increased the speed of its existing fibre plans. The 10 Mbps package now offers speeds of 15 Mbps for KES 3,000 (approximately $23), while the 20 Mbps plan has been elevated to 30 Mbps. 

Customers on the 40 Mbps tier will now enjoy doubled speeds of 80 Mbps, and the 100 Mbps package has seen a dramatic increase to 500 Mbps, available for KES 12,500 ($97). Notably, Safaricom has also launched a gigabit internet service, providing speeds of 1 Gbps for KES 20,000 ($155), marking a significant milestone for internet service provision in the region.

Additionally, the company has introduced a family share plan, allowing customers to bundle mobile voice, SMS, data, and home internet services for up to five family members. This plan offers discounts of up to 20% compared to purchasing services separately, built for the growing demand for comprehensive connectivity solutions.

CEO Peter Ndegwa noted the company’s focus on enhancing customer experience: “We have enhanced our Home Internet speeds to meet the increasing demand and usage, providing reliable connectivity and enhanced value for our customers.” Safaricom is also set to engage in community initiatives, including estate clinics aimed at boosting service availability in congested areas, and will explore 4G and 5G options for regions lacking fibre infrastructure.

For businesses, Safaricom has tailored dedicated internet plans, starting with a shared 15 Mbps option for smaller enterprises, scaling up to a 100 Mbps shared plan for more established businesses.

These enhancements reveal a direct response to Starlink’s market presence, which has reportedly signed up over 4,000 customers since its launch in June 2023. Starlink offers competitive speeds of up to 200 Mbps at KES 6,500 ($50) and has introduced flexible payment options, including a rental scheme for its equipment.

Safaricom recently sought regulatory intervention from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to restrict the operations of foreign satellite internet providers, including Starlink. The CA has acknowledged Safaricom’s objections, which may impact the dynamics of the broadband market in Kenya as competition intensifies.