World Bank Report Quantifies Broadband's Economic Impact: 10% Adoption Rise Boosts GDP by up to 2% in Low-Income Countries

The World Bank published a comprehensive results brief on May 15, 2026 titled 'Bridging the Digital Divide: Digital Infrastructure Driving Jobs and Economic Growth,' which quantified the economic returns from broadband investment in low- and middle-income countries. Key findings include: a 10% increase in broadband adoption boosts GDP by up to 2% in LMICs, individual employment probability rises by up to 13% with broadband access, and digital public infrastructure delivers measurable returns at national scale. The report highlighted the World Bank's Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Programme (WARDIP2, $137 million) which is targeting 5.2 million new broadband connections across three West African nations. The Bank's broader Global Digital Public Infrastructure Program, announced May 6, now covers 80+ countries with financing instruments for digital transformation. The report emphasized that connectivity gains require complementary investments in digital skills and local content to generate meaningful economic returns — reinforcing the dual-track approach endorsed by development economists.