Digital Divide Country Profile · Africa

Eritrea

Closing the digital divide, expanding meaningful connectivity, and advancing digital education and workforce participation.

National digital inclusion context

A portfolio-based view of access, capability, and outcomes.

This profile organizes the initiatives directly connected to Eritrea in the global research inventory. It follows the study's country-profile framework: national context, broadband infrastructure, inclusion practices, education and workforce connections, implementation actors, and intended contribution.

The documented portfolio emphasizes Last-Mile / Access Infrastructure, Backbone / Backhaul / Middle-Mile Infrastructure, Fiber / Fixed Broadband Infrastructure, Fiber/Fiber Optic, Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI). The profile treats infrastructure, affordability, capability, institutions, support, and outcomes as an interconnected system.

Portfolio pattern

What the documented response contains.

Counts reflect source-workbook tags. One initiative may appear in multiple infrastructure or technology categories.

Infrastructure and access

Last-Mile / Access Infrastructure5
Backbone / Backhaul / Middle-Mile Infrastructure3
Fiber / Fixed Broadband Infrastructure3
Mobile / Wireless Infrastructure1

Specific technologies

Fiber/Fiber Optic3
Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)2
Computer / Desktop PC1
Microwave1
Wi-Fi1

Intervention classification

Neither explicitly identified7
Infrastructure and Specific Technology5
Specific Technology only3

Education and workforce

Connectivity becomes consequential through participation.

5 initiatives explicitly connect to education, K–12, or college/university contexts, and 3 connect to workforce development. Other investments may enable these outcomes indirectly.

Access

Networks, service availability, devices, and connection quality.

Capability

Skills, confidence, accessibility, navigation, and support.

Participation

Education, work, health, government, and civic opportunity.

Sustainability

Governance, operations, maintenance, funding, and learning.

Project and initiative portfolio

15 documented records

Every directly tagged record is shown with details and supporting URLs preserved from the research workbook.

Urban fiber core

Asmara End-to-End Fiber Core Network

Ongoing / documented through 2026 · Asmara

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Status / periodOngoing / documented through 2026LocationAsmaraPopulationHouseholds, institutions and businessesOrganizationsEriTel; Eritrea Ministry of Transportation and Communications

Creates full fiber core capacity in the capital.

Activities and approach: Fiber core network

Fiber / Fixed Broadband InfrastructureBackbone / Backhaul / Middle-Mile InfrastructureLast-Mile / Access InfrastructureFiber/Fiber Optic

Digital public administration

ASYCUDA World customs-process automation and transparency stream

Operational / 2026 · Customs offices and trade processes

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Status / periodOperational / 2026LocationCustoms offices and trade processesPopulationImporters, exporters and customs staffOrganizationsEritrean Customs Authority; UNCTAD; UNDP

Closes a documented access, affordability, skills, institutional-capacity, or meaningful-use gap.

Activities and approach: Automated declarations; workflow digitization; transparency and efficiency tools

Digital trade / customs

ASYCUDA World national digital customs system

Launched January 2026 · National customs administration

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Status / periodLaunched January 2026LocationNational customs administrationPopulationTraders, customs staff and businessesOrganizationsEritrean Customs Authority; UNDP; UNCTAD

Closes a documented access, affordability, skills, institutional-capacity, or meaningful-use gap.

Activities and approach: ASYCUDA World; automated customs processing; electronic workflows

Digital-government capacity

ASYCUDA World source-code and system-ownership transfer

Completed with 2026 launch · National customs administration

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Status / periodCompleted with 2026 launchLocationNational customs administrationPopulationGovernment IT/customs teamsOrganizationsEritrean Customs Authority; UNCTAD; UNDP

Closes a documented access, affordability, skills, institutional-capacity, or meaningful-use gap.

Activities and approach: Transfer of system source code; local customization capability

Advanced ICT skills

Cisco ICT and networking Training-of-Trainers programme

Implemented from 2021 · Asmara/Massawa

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Status / periodImplemented from 2021LocationAsmara/MassawaPopulationSix NCEW engineers/trainers plus UNDP IT staffOrganizationsNCEW; Cisco; UNDP

Closes a documented access, affordability, skills, institutional-capacity, or meaningful-use gap.

Activities and approach: IT Essentials; CCNA; CyberOps; DevNet; online training

Education

Digital public-sector data systems

EPHS 2025 nationwide CAPI digital data-collection deployment

Completed 2025 / reporting 2026 · All six regions

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Status / periodCompleted 2025 / reporting 2026LocationAll six regionsPopulation9,794 households across 405 enumeration areasOrganizationsNational Statistics Office; Ministry of Health; regional administrations; UNECA

Closes a documented access, affordability, skills, institutional-capacity, or meaningful-use gap.

Activities and approach: Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing; near-real-time validation/transmission

Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)

Public-sector digital skills

EPHS digital survey workforce training – 85+ field staff

Implemented 2025 · All six regions

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Status / periodImplemented 2025LocationAll six regionsPopulation85+ NSO, health and regional field staffOrganizationsNSO; Ministry of Health; regional administrations

Closes a documented access, affordability, skills, institutional-capacity, or meaningful-use gap.

Activities and approach: CAPI training; digital fieldwork; data-quality procedures

Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)

EducationWorkforce

National broadband modernization

EriTel Infrastructure and Services Development Program – Phase 2

Ongoing / documented through 2026 · Nationwide

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Status / periodOngoing / documented through 2026LocationNationwidePopulationRural and urban usersOrganizationsEriTel; Eritrea Ministry of Transportation and Communications

Upgrades core/distribution/access networks and expands rural coverage.

Activities and approach: Copper-to-fiber migration; access expansion

Fiber / Fixed Broadband InfrastructureLast-Mile / Access InfrastructureFiber/Fiber Optic

National telecom modernization

EriTel Infrastructure Development Program – Phase 1 Backbone Modernization

Ongoing / documented through 2026 · Nationwide

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Status / periodOngoing / documented through 2026LocationNationwidePopulationFixed/mobile/Internet usersOrganizationsEriTel; Eritrea Ministry of Transportation and Communications

Migrated legacy analogue infrastructure to a digital scalable redundant backbone.

Activities and approach: Digital backbone; microwave transmission

Mobile / Wireless InfrastructureBackbone / Backhaul / Middle-Mile InfrastructureLast-Mile / Access InfrastructureMicrowave

Urban fiber core

Massawa End-to-End Fiber Core Network

Ongoing / documented through 2026 · Massawa

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Status / periodOngoing / documented through 2026LocationMassawaPopulationHouseholds, institutions and businessesOrganizationsEriTel; Eritrea Ministry of Transportation and Communications

Creates full fiber core capacity in a major port city.

Activities and approach: Fiber core network

Fiber / Fixed Broadband InfrastructureBackbone / Backhaul / Middle-Mile InfrastructureLast-Mile / Access InfrastructureFiber/Fiber Optic

ICT education infrastructure

Massawa Workers Vocational Training Center Cisco Academy

Established / ongoing · Massawa

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Status / periodEstablished / ongoingLocationMassawaPopulationYouth, workers and future networking studentsOrganizationsNCEW; MWVTC; Cisco; UNDP

Closes a documented access, affordability, skills, institutional-capacity, or meaningful-use gap.

Activities and approach: Cisco Networking Academy; certified instructors; IT/networking curriculum

EducationWorkforce

Government digital/data skills

NSO 2026 advanced database-management and statistical digital-capacity training

Planned / 2026 · National Statistics Office

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Status / periodPlanned / 2026LocationNational Statistics OfficePopulationStatisticians and data managersOrganizationsNSO; UN partners

Closes a documented access, affordability, skills, institutional-capacity, or meaningful-use gap.

Activities and approach: Database management; advanced statistical capacity; digital data systems

Education

Public/remote Internet access

Remote and Semi-Urban Wi-Fi Internet Expansion

Ongoing / documented through 2026 · Remote and semi-urban centres

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Status / periodOngoing / documented through 2026LocationRemote and semi-urban centresPopulationRemote communitiesOrganizationsEriTel; Eritrea Ministry of Transportation and Communications

Introduces Wi-Fi Internet services outside major cities.

Activities and approach: Wi-Fi Internet access

Last-Mile / Access InfrastructureWi-Fi

Institutional connectivity and ICT capacity

UNDP–Cisco digital connectivity and skills partnership for development institutions

Ongoing partnership · National development institutions

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Status / periodOngoing partnershipLocationNational development institutionsPopulationYouth and public/development institutionsOrganizationsUNDP; Cisco; NCEW

Closes a documented access, affordability, skills, institutional-capacity, or meaningful-use gap.

Activities and approach: ICT access; networking skills; connectivity support; innovation capacity

Basic digital skills

Youth Employment and Skills Development – basic computer training in Anseba

Implemented / continuing programme · Anseba Region

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Status / periodImplemented / continuing programmeLocationAnseba RegionPopulationYoung women and menOrganizationsUNDP; NUEYS; local administrations

Closes a documented access, affordability, skills, institutional-capacity, or meaningful-use gap.

Activities and approach: Basic computer training within youth skills programme

Computer / Desktop PC

EducationWorkforce

Evidence boundary

Read the portfolio as a starting point, not a final verdict.

Project records document interventions and intended contributions; they do not alone prove nationwide coverage, causal impact, or durable closure.

Profiles will deepen as national statistics, policy documents, evaluations, and implementation evidence are incorporated. Source links allow inspection of underlying evidence.

Evidence and contextProfile Sources

These sources support the country-level demographic, geographic, and connectivity context. Sources tied to individual projects remain with their project records and are not repeated here.

Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). Eritrea. The World Factbook. Retrieved September 26, 2026, from https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/eritrea/
International Telecommunication Union. (n.d.). ITU DataHub: Country ICT data. Retrieved September 26, 2026, from https://datahub.itu.int/
World Bank. (n.d.). Individuals using the Internet (% of population): Eritrea. World Development Indicators. Retrieved September 26, 2026, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS?locations=ER
World Bank. (n.d.). Population, total: Eritrea. World Development Indicators. Retrieved September 26, 2026, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=ER

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