5G investments are fueling digital innovation and driving economic growth across MEA.

Nokia has released the latest edition of its Mobile Broadband Index Report 2025, offering an in-depth look at the evolving mobile broadband ecosystem across the Middle East and Africa (MEA)

The report highlights the region’s accelerating transition towards 5G connectivity, projecting that by 2030, 5G will dominate a substantial share of mobile subscriptions and data traffic. It also emphasises how 5G investments are fueling digital innovation and driving economic growth across MEA.

According to Nokia’s new research, by 2030, 82% of connections will operate on 4G or 5G networks, underscoring the shift towards data-driven usage as smartphones become more widely accessible. 5G is also emerging as a vital enabler for IoT, smart cities, and enterprise solutions. Its growing adoption stems from increased operator investments and government-led digital transformation programs, positioning it as a cornerstone of future connectivity. By 2030, MEA’s 5G subscriptions are projected to reach 605 million, with 53% of total data traffic generated by 5G. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), 91% of subscriptions are expected to be on 5G, the highest proportion in the region.

The report also reveals the rapid expansion of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), with its market share expected to rise from 15% in 2023 to 35% by 2030. This marks a major shift towards advanced fixed wireless solutions, driven by the growing maturity of 5G networks across MEA. These networks provide the infrastructure necessary to deliver high-speed broadband to homes and businesses without relying on traditional wired connections. The uptake of 5G FWA offers faster deployment and reduced infrastructure costs compared to fiber, making it a compelling solution for expanding internet access and improving regional connectivity.

“Significant investments in 5G technology are being made by operators in the MEA region, which will serve as the engine to enable IoT, smart cities, and enterprise solutions. These advancements are expected to drive transformative use cases such as autonomous transportation, smart agriculture, and advanced healthcare services powered by real-time data analytics. Additionally, the integration of 5G with edge computing and AI will unlock new opportunities for industries to optimise operations, enhance productivity, and deliver innovative customer experiences,” said Mikko Lavanti, senior vice-president, mobile networks, MEA, Nokia.

Google Pay launches in Lebanon and Oman, expanding digital wallet access securely. (Image source: Google Pay)

Google has officially launched Google Pay in Lebanon and Oman, extending its mobile payment services to two more countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region

As of today, Android phone and Wear OS users in both countries can use Google Pay to make quick, secure, and convenient payments.

With this expansion, users in Lebanon and Oman can now tap to pay in stores where contactless payments are accepted, make purchases in apps, and complete transactions online. The service is integrated with Google Wallet, which also launches today in both countries. Cardholders can securely store their credit or debit cards within the digital wallet, simplifying their everyday payments.

Google Pay enhances payment security by using multiple layers of protection. “This includes industry-standard tokenization, which means when you use Google Pay to pay, transactions are made using a virtual card number (a token). A Token is device-specific and is associated with a dynamic security code that changes with each transaction,” the company explained.

With Google Pay and Google Wallet now available, users in Lebanon and Oman can enjoy a safer and more streamlined digital payment experience, in line with global standards for mobile transactions.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most active region for mobile money, with East and West Africa seeing the highest growth in registered accounts and monthly usage. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The ‘State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2025’, published by the GSMA Mobile Money programme, highlights two major milestones for the mobile money industry in 2024—crossing two billion registered accounts and more than half a billion active monthly users worldwide

This marks a significant acceleration in adoption, as it took the industry 18 years to reach one billion registered accounts and 250 million active users, but only five more years to double that growth.

According to the report, transaction volumes and values saw strong double-digit increases in 2024. An estimated 108 billion transactions, worth over US$1.68 trillion, were processed through mobile money accounts. Compared to 2023, transaction volumes surged by 20%, while values rose by 16%, up from 13% the previous year.

Vivek Badrinath, GSMA director general, commented, “Mobile money has emerged as a powerful driver of financial inclusion and economic growth. Its continued success depends on supportive regulatory environments that promote innovation, accessibility and help unlock the full socio-economic potential. To ensure mobile money remains accessible, affordable, and safe, it is vital for governments and regulators to work with financial service providers to support financial literacy programs, empowering underserved populations and opening new opportunities for financial decision-making.”

Sub-Saharan Africa leads

The report also underlines mobile money’s growing economic impact. By the end of 2023, countries offering mobile money services experienced a collective GDP that was over US$720bn higher than it would have been without them, translating to a 1.7% increase. Sub-Saharan Africa alone accounted for US$190bn of this, affirming the region’s leading role in mobile money innovation.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most active region for mobile money, with East and West Africa seeing the highest growth in registered accounts and monthly usage. In 2024, East Africa led monthly active account growth, followed by Southeast Asia and West Africa. The East Asia-Pacific region also made significant gains, ranking second in growth of monthly active accounts—driven by favourable regulatory conditions in Cambodia, Fiji, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

According to the GSMA, providers in East Asia and the Pacific are increasingly evolving into full-service financial platforms. “The most successful providers are often those who are actively innovating the breadth of their offerings,” the report noted.

Mobile money services have expanded to include adjacent financial products like credit, savings, and insurance. As of June 2024, 44% of providers offered credit—making it the most common—while about a third offered savings, and 28% provided insurance products.

Despite this momentum, the report flags ongoing adoption challenges, particularly among women. Of the 12 countries surveyed, eight still report a gender gap in mobile money ownership, with minimal improvement since 2023. Barriers such as limited awareness and low digital financial literacy persist—especially for women.

However, women who do own accounts are nearly as likely as men to have used them within the last 30 days. “To address these challenges,” the GSMA explained, “nearly 60% of mobile money providers have launched digital financial literacy initiatives to improve financial skills and drive adoption over time.”