International Journal of Academic Research in Education and Review

Vol. 14(2), pp. 48-62, April 2026

ISSN: 2360-7866

https://doi.org/10.14662/ijarer2026120

 

Full Length Research

 

 

Bridging Digital Divide Gaps Among Developed and Developing Nations for Free Intercontinental Information Flow & Access

 

1Dr. Olubiyo Peter Olubunmi and and 2Mr. Rabiu M. Sheji

 

University Library Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo State, Nigeria

Corresponding author’s E-mail: olubiyopeter@gmail.com  

Accepted 12 April 2026

Abstract

Abstract: A global information environment of the 21 st century can be characterized by a fundamental and enduring paradox: although digital technologies have introduced unprecedented opportunities to create, share and access knowledge on a scale never conceived before, the positive outcomes of the digital revolution are heavily, structurally and persistently unevenly distributed among countries, regions, communities and even demographic groups. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Facts and Figures 2024, the number of people who are now online, 5.5 billion, or 68% of the world population, is estimated, but 2.6 billion people, one-third of humanity, are still completely offline, and the most significant disparities are in low-income nations, rural regions, and women. This digital divide: the difference between access to and meaningful use of digital technologies and internet connectivity in developed and developing countries is one of the most impactful sources of global information inequality of our time, with systematic effects on the free flow of information across continents and the continued cycles of educational marginalisation, economic exclusion, and social disadvantage that undermine the sustainable development ambitions of the global community. The paper will be a thorough, theoretically sound, and empirically rigorous analysis of the digital divide between developed and developing countries. It explores the internet concept as global interconnectivity architecture; explores the varying digital realities of developed and developing countries with current statistical evidence; outlines the nature, scale, theory of digital divide; assesses present and future strategies to bridge the connectivity gaps, such as investing in infrastructure, affordable access programmes, developing digital literacy, satellite internet technology (Starlink and LEO constellations), and international development coalitions; critically evaluates the The paper is structured around eight substantive sections, supported by five tables, two schematics, and a comprehensive reference list of peer-reviewed and institutional sources from 2019–2025.

 

Key Words: Digital Divide, Internet Access, Developed Nations, Developing Nations, Information Flow, ICT, Global Village, Connectivity, Information Equity, Nigeria, Starlink, Broadband, Digital Literacy, SDGs

Paper type: research