The Mobile Economy Middle East and North Africa 2024
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The mobile industry continues to underpin the rapid digital transformation in in the Middle East and North Africa, with advanced mobile networks enabling innovative use case cases for consumers and enterprises. The role of mobile infrastructure and services will become even more vital to the way society functions as governments increasingly use digital technologies to tackle some of the most pressing social and economic challenges.
However, large swathes of the population across the region still remain unconnected, most of them within the usage gap. Addressing the usage gap is crucial to closing the digital divide and enabling life-enhancing applications around finance, health and education. Moreover, mobile connectivity continues to serve as a lifeline for individuals and communities facing violent conflicts across the region, as well as a platform for government and other stakeholders to deliver much needed humanitarian relief.
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Learn moreRelated research
The Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2025
Mobile connectivity supports efforts to develop modern, inclusive and sustainable digital nations in Asia Pacific, facilitating the increasing integration of transformative technologies such as AI into daily activities for individuals and businesses. In 2024, the mobile sector accounted for 5.6% of GDP in Asia Pacific, contributing $950 billion in value. This is expected to rise to $1.4 trillion by 2030, equivalent to 6.6% of GDP, as the impacts of 5G technology become more widespread across local economies. To fully unlock this potential, fostering digital trust and ensuring the sustainability of the industry have become key priorities for stakeholders across the region's digital ecosystem. This means driving 5G monetisation, addressing the scam economy and mitigating cybersecurity threats, alongside bridging investment gaps, balancing innovation with regulations and implementing effective spectrum policies.
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The latest consumer survey by GSMA Intelligence reveals that around one in seven mobile users changed their service provider over the previous 12 months. The main reasons for churn have stayed largely unchanged over the last five years, at the aggregate level, with value for money by far the top reason. However, variations exist between consumer segments in terms of the degree of churn and the drivers.
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MWC Shanghai is in the books for another year, having attracted 45,000 visitors (from 12,500 companies), along with 400 exhibitors and partner groups. The numbers were up from the 2024 event by 13% and 92% respectively. This analysis highlights the key takeaways and implications from meetings, summits and announcements at the event – and in particular, whether the progress seen in China can be mapped to other regions.
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