This is according to the Global System for Mobile telecommunications Association SSA Economy report, presented Tuesday at the ongoing GSM Thrive Africa conference.
GSMA, which represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators with almost 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, said the pandemic highlighted the importance of a robust and inclusive digital economy, underpinned by universal access to fast, reliable Internet and a range of digital services for individuals and businesses.
GSMA noted that at the end of 2019, 477 million people in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and other parts of the continent subscribed to mobile services, accounting for 45 per cent of the population. It pointed out that the mobile market in the region would reach several important milestones over the next five years.
Accordingly, GSMA said over the next five years, the number of smartphone connections in the region would almost double to reach 678 million by the end of 2025, which will be an adoption rate of 65 per cent. It informed that COVID-19 has had a mixed impact on 5G developments, stressing that operators in some markets, such as Sweden, were allowed to launch 5G early to ensure that sufficient capacity was available during the crisis, while the pandemic has delayed the spectrum auction in India and interrupted rollout plans in markets including Greece and Portugal.