5G in Africa 2023: market status, trends and outlook

This report highlights key trends and developments in Africa’s 5G landscape, including commercialisation, spectrum assignments, emerging use cases and early insights for pioneer markets in the region. As of September 2023, 27 operators in 16 markets across the region had launched commercial 5G services. More markets are expected to follow soon, with operators in an additional 10 countries making a commitment to launch 5G in the coming years. GSMA Intelligence forecasts that by 2030, 5G will account for just over a fifth of total connections in the region. Meanwhile, 5G fixed wireless access has emerged as an important use case for operators looking to address the gap in last-mile fixed broadband (FBB) connectivity. The low level of FBB development in Africa means that operators in the region have the opportunity to deploy 5G FWA as a primary broadband connectivity option for households without access to fixed alternatives. It also gives operators a chance to capture the enterprise opportunity, particularly in the micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises segment.