GSMA urges investment to unlock Africa's digital potential

The mobile telecommunications sector across the African continent is currently undergoing a profound transition.

According to the Mobile Economy Africa 2026 report, published by the GSMA, the industry has entered a highly anticipated phase of development. Operators are now shifting their strategic focus following a decade defined by the extensive expansion of physical network coverage. The primary objective is no longer merely connecting populations, but unlocking substantially greater economic value through advanced digital networks. This fundamental evolution is expected to drive continuous growth, technological innovation, and digital transformation across the region.

The economic impact of this digital foundation is already immense. The GSMA report indicates that Africa’s mobile industry contributed a staggering US$240bn to the continent's economy in 2025, a figure equivalent to 7.8% of total GDP. Also, the ecosystem actively supported approximately thirteen million jobs whilst simultaneously generating US$45bn in essential public revenues. By the year 2030, mobile technologies and services are projected to contribute a record US$290bn to the African economy.

Telecommunications operators are evolving far beyond their traditional roles to achieve these ambitious targets,. According to GSMA Intelligence research, 79% of operators in Africa now identify becoming a digital transformation partner as a primary enterprise objective. This critical transition involves deploying artificial intelligence, expanding consumer digital services, and opening core network capabilities directly to developers through standardised APIs.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly deployed to optimise network performance and support novel digital services. But, a significant localisation challenge persists. Africa is home to more than 30% of the world's spoken languages, yet prominent AI models remain predominantly trained on English. To rectify this imbalance, industry stakeholders are championing initiatives such as the GSMA's “AI language models in Africa, by Africa, for Africa” programme. Concurrently, momentum is growing behind the GSMA Open Gateway initiative. This framework enables operators to provide standardised network APIs to developers, facilitating new services whilst supporting fraud prevention, identity verification, and digital trust across the financial and e-commerce sectors.

Addressing this critical turning point for the industry, Vivek Badrinath, director general of the GSMA, outlined the strategic imperatives required to maintain this momentum.

He stated, "Africa's mobile industry is entering a new phase of development. Having connected millions of people and businesses over the last decade, the focus is increasingly shifting towards unlocking greater value through AI, digital services and new forms of innovation."

Highlighting the collaborative effort required from stakeholders, Badrinath continued: "Realising this opportunity will require continued investment, policies that encourage innovation, and a shared commitment to ensuring that everyone can benefit from the opportunities digital technologies create."

He further stressed the inherent responsibility of the wider technology ecosystem, adding: "We also call on the broader technology supply chain – including those who manufacture the components that make devices possible – to reflect on how their own success is tied to a connected world, and to join us in closing the usage gap and making that world more accessible and affordable for all."

The core challenge has decisively shifted from expanding network coverage to ensuring citizens and businesses fully utilise the connectivity already in place. While networks now cover the vast majority of the population, a glaring usage gap remains. Approximately 63 per cent of Africans live within broadband coverage but are not using the mobile internet. By stark comparison, only 9 per cent remain entirely outside mobile broadband coverage zones.

Affordability remains the single largest barrier to mobile internet adoption, heavily compounded by digital skills gaps and complex social barriers. To support the next phase of digital growth, the GSMA is calling for structural policy reforms that encourage private investment and dramatically improve affordability. Regulatory certainty, spectrum availability, and investment incentives will heavily influence future infrastructure deployment. Operators across Africa are expected to invest over US$76bn in vital network infrastructure between 2024 and 2030, a period during which 5G adoption is forecasted to reach 21% of all mobile connections. Ultimately, the GSMA notes that reducing systemic taxes on devices and digital services can rapidly accelerate adoption and expand equitable access to the modern digital economy.