Ericsson Mobility Report 2025: Africa’s Mobile Market Accelerates Toward 5G and Digital Growth

The November 2025 Ericsson Mobility Report  highlights key trends and forecasts for mobile and connectivity growth across Africa, focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions. The report emphasizes the resilience of the telecommunications sector, driven by a young population, increasing smartphone access, and rising demand for mobile data and digital services. These factors position the industry as a major contributor to regional economic growth and digital transformation.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the market is undergoing a significant technological transition, moving from legacy networks to 4G and emerging 5G technologies. Total mobile subscriptions in the region are projected to grow from 490 million in 2025 to 570 million by 2031, representing a CAGR of 3 percent. 5G subscriptions are expected to reach approximately 400 million by 2031, accounting for around 42 percent of all smartphone connections, while 4G will remain the dominant technology with 44 percent of subscriptions. Legacy networks are gradually being phased out, with 3G subscriptions expected to decline to 89 million and 2G subscriptions to 243 million by 2031. Smartphone adoption is forecast to rise significantly, reaching 960 million subscriptions. Data consumption per smartphone, currently the lowest in the region, is expected to more than double from 5.3 GB/month in 2025 to 12 GB/month by 2031, driving total mobile data traffic from 1.1 EB/month to 2.7 EB/month. Service providers are increasingly focusing on fintech, particularly mobile money, and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) to expand connectivity for consumers and enterprises.

The MENA region also demonstrates strong mobile market growth, supported by economic diversification and digital transformation initiatives. Total mobile subscriptions are projected to reach 780 million by 2031, growing at an annual rate of 1 percent. By 2031, 5G is expected to dominate with 53 percent of subscriptions, while 4G will account for 44 percent. Data usage per smartphone is forecast to grow from 21 GB/month in 2025 to 46 GB/month by 2031, with total mobile data traffic increasing from 9 EB/month to 20 EB/month over the same period. The GCC sub-region currently exhibits higher data consumption, with smartphone usage at 30 GB/month in 2025, projected to reach 49 GB/month in 2031.

Fixed Wireless Access is becoming an important enabler of next-generation connectivity, particularly in MENA, though uptake in Africa remains comparatively low. Around 89 percent of service providers in the region offer FWA, with 51 percent of these services delivered over 5G technology. However, only 36 percent of providers implement speed-based tariff plans, indicating room for monetization growth. Despite current limitations, the African continent presents significant long-term potential for high-speed, reliable broadband services.

Overall, the African mobile market is characterized by a rapid shift toward advanced mobile broadband, especially 4G and emerging 5G, alongside continued growth in digital services such as mobile money. While FWA adoption remains modest, the underlying demand and infrastructure investments suggest sustained momentum for connectivity expansion across the continent.