The Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa 2023

Please sign in or register for a free public account to access this report.
5G is gathering momentum in Sub-Saharan Africa, with 27 operators in 16 markets across the region having already launched commercial 5G services. Governments and enterprises in the region are increasingly using technologies to tackle the biggest challenges faced by society, and 5G will play a key role in this area. Underscoring the impact of mobile in the region, mobile technologies and services generated over 8% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP, which amounted to $170 billion of economic value added.
In addition to a range of technology, socioeconomic and financial datasets, including forecasts out to 2030, the Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa 2023 examines key trends across the mobile industry: the growing momentum of 5G; the rise in the use of AI tools; circularity gaining momentum; smartphone affordability; and growing fintech solutions. Additionally, it explores the mobile industry’s impact on the SDGs and the innovations to connect the unconnected. Finally, the research discusses policies for growth and innovation, with a focus on cybersecurity.
Related research
MWC Shanghai 2025: a window into the future?
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.
GSMA Open Gateway: State of the Market, H1 2025
Representing 285 networks and almost 80% of mobile subscribers worldwide, 73 operator groups are now committed to GSMA Open Gateway. This latest research provides an update on the state of the market, recent developments, and examples of GSMA Open Gateway in action. It also offers a deep dive on supply/demand gap analysis.
The Mobile Economy Latin America 2025
Operators across Latin America are making steady progress on their 5G journey, with adoption forecast to reach more than 50% by 2030. This latest edition of The Mobile Economy Latin America provides an update on key mobile market data and the impact of mobile on the economy across the region.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
MWC Shanghai 2025: a window into the future?
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.
GSMA Open Gateway: State of the Market, H1 2025
Representing 285 networks and almost 80% of mobile subscribers worldwide, 73 operator groups are now committed to GSMA Open Gateway. This latest research provides an update on the state of the market, recent developments, and examples of GSMA Open Gateway in action. It also offers a deep dive on supply/demand gap analysis.
The Mobile Economy Latin America 2025
Operators across Latin America are making steady progress on their 5G journey, with adoption forecast to reach more than 50% by 2030. This latest edition of The Mobile Economy Latin America provides an update on key mobile market data and the impact of mobile on the economy across the region.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics