The Mobile Economy Middle East and North Africa 2022

As countries bring the pandemic under control, a priority for governments in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) is to drive economic recovery and promote sustainable development. Digital services and technologies will be crucial to realising this objective, by stimulating economic growth, mobilising the workforce and enabling industrial efficiencies.

The number of mobile internet users in MENA exceeded 300 million in 2021, with penetration due to reach 50% of the population by the end of 2022. Smartphone adoption is growing well and is set to increase most strongly in MENA’s less advanced mobile markets over the period to 2025, underpinned by continued network investment from operators.

At the regional level, 5G remains at a nascent stage. The current adoption rate of just 1% is expected to grow to 17% by 2025. However, operators in the GCC Arab states are among the global leaders in 5G, with competition and government support triggering launches of some of the world’s first and fastest next-generation mobile networks.

Seizing the mobile opportunity will require forward-looking spectrum policy, with well-designed assignment spectrum roadmaps, fair prices and technology-neutral licences needed to support the growth of 5G over the course of this decade and beyond.