A new GSMA report reveals that mobile technologies and services contributed $240 billion to Africa’s economy in 2025, accounting for 7.8% of the continent’s total GDP.
According to the GSMA Mobile Economy Africa 2026 report, the sector also sustained roughly 13 million jobs and brought in $45 billion in public revenues.
Driven by deepening digital adoption, this economic contribution is projected to surge to $290 billion by 2030.
Key Shifts: From Connectivity to AI and Digital Transformation
Telecom operators across Africa are shifting their roles from simple network providers to essential digital transformation partners for governments and businesses alike.
The AI and API Evolution: Operators are deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize network performance and elevate customer experiences. Furthermore, they are opening network capabilities to developers via standardised APIs to bolster digital trust, identity verification, and fraud prevention.
Enterprise Focus:
GSMA Intelligence data shows that 79% of African operators now view digital transformation as their primary enterprise goal.
Infrastructure Boom: Between 2024 and 2030, operators are projected to invest over $76 billion in network infrastructure, with 5G expected to make up 21% of all mobile connections on the continent by 2030.
The Current Reality: The Adoption Gap vs. Coverage
The report highlights a critical shift in Africa’s digital landscape: the primary hurdle is no longer building networks, but getting people to use them.
| Metric | Percentage of African Population |
| Live within broadband coverage but do not use mobile internet | 63% |
| Completely lack mobile broadband network coverage | 9% |
The Main Barriers:
High costs and affordability remain the steepest hurdles to mobile internet adoption, followed closely by gaps in digital literacy and various social constraints.
Looking Ahead: Local Innovation and Policy
Africa is home to more than 30% of the world’s languages, which the report highlights as a massive, untapped opportunity for building hyper-local AI models.
However, Badrinath emphasised that capturing this momentum will require sustained infrastructure investment, forward-thinking public policies, and a unified effort to make connectivity genuinely affordable and accessible to all.
