Bringing Every African Online: GSMA’s Angela Wamola on Driving Digital Inclusion from the Ground Up

Bridging the Connectivity and Usage Gap

Wamola emphasized that connectivity alone is not enough. While broadband access has expanded, millions of Africans remain offline. “We have a 69% population coverage with 3G and 4G, yet many have never gone online,” she noted. Efforts to close the usage gap must consider not only infrastructure but also the demand side: relevant services, content, and practical applications that encourage people to engage with digital tools. 

“In 2017, the coverage gap; the portion of the population not covered by mobile broadband, was 35%. Today, it is 9%, showing remarkable progress in a very short time. But there is still a 9% gap, mostly in hard-to-reach areas, mountainous regions, or conflict-affected zones that still need coverage. This is where partnerships with satellites, solutions, and technologies become essential, because the ability to cover the broadest and most difficult terrains is necessary. These are the partnerships we need now to ensure no one is left behind, moving from countries that have near-universal coverage with just a 1–2% gap to the wider ones. Leveraging these technologies can help bridge the coverage gap in the shortest possible time.”
– Angela Wamola, Head of Africa, GSMA 

 

Affordable Smartphones: A Catalyst for Inclusion

A key takeaway from MWC Kigali was the role of affordable entry-level smartphones in bridging the divide. Through initiatives such as the Handset Affordability Coalition, Wamola explained that the goal is to ensure devices are available for under $40 while meeting quality standards. She highlighted the example of South Africa, which removed the 9% luxury tax on low-cost devices, making it easier for operators to bundle devices with data services for underserved populations.

AI and Local Language Content

Wamola stressed the potential of AI to create locally relevant content, particularly in Africa’s many low-resource languages. “It is not about being consumers of content, but creators,” she said, highlighting the need to crowdsource resources from the ecosystem to develop tools, applications, and services that reflect local needs. AI-driven solutions can address real-life challenges in education, health, agriculture, and entrepreneurship, helping drive digital adoption beyond simple connectivity.

Energy as a Key Enabler

The conversation also underscored energy as a critical factor in affordability. Countries with higher electricity access enjoy lower data prices, while areas lacking reliable power face higher costs. Initiatives like Mission 300, which aim to electrify 300 million Africans, were highlighted as essential partnerships to ensure both device usage and network supply can reach more people.

5G and Sectoral Innovation

At the 5G summit, Wamola noted that 5G adoption across Africa averages 13%, with leaders like South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt demonstrating that adoption can accelerate when learnings from previous technology rollouts are applied. She highlighted the importance of B2B 5G applications in sectors such as health, education, and agriculture, where fixed wireless access and AI integration can drive efficiency and innovation.

Satellite Partnerships: Completing Connectivity

For hard-to-reach regions, satellites were identified as a critical tool. Wamola explained that satellite partnerships can help cover mountainous, conflict-affected, or sparsely populated areas, ensuring that even the most underserved populations gain access to digital services. These solutions are technology agnostic and provide the infrastructure needed to generate demand for digital services.

Africa’s Digital Future

Wamola’s message from Kigali was clear: accelerating digital inclusion requires a multi-faceted approach. Affordability, locally relevant content, energy access, innovative technologies like AI and 5G, and strategic partnerships including satellites are all critical. By leveraging these opportunities, Africa can move toward a more inclusive digital future where connectivity translates into real socio-economic growth.