Mobile technologies contributed US$240 billion to Africa’s economy in 2025 as the continent scales its digital transformation efforts, a new GSMA report found this week.

The GSMA’s Mobile Economy Africa 2026 report found that AI, digital services and mobile connectivity are driving economic growth across Africa, with the wider sector supporting roughly 13 million jobs and generating $45 billion in public revenues.

By 2030, mobile technologies and services are expected to contribute $290 billion to Africa’s economy, as digital adoption deepens.

“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,” said Vivek Badrinath, Director General of the GSMA.

Unlocking this opportunity will require additional investment, policies that encourage innovation and a shared commitment to ensuring everyone benefits from digital changes, the report added.

While the GSMA recognised the growing role of mobile connectivity powering growth, the report also highlighted that affordability and digital skills gaps remain critical barriers to digital inclusion across the continent. The report calls for initiatives to improve device affordability and create more inclusive digital skills programmes.

The news comes as the mobile industry across Africa enters a new phase of development. Operators have been committed to expanding connectivity for the past decade and are now prioritising unlocking the full value of digital networks for consumers and businesses. They are also harnessing disruptive technologies like AI to scale.

According to GSMA Intelligence research, 79% of operators in Africa cited becoming a digital transformation partner as a primary enterprise objective.

GSMA also said in its report that policy decisions will be vital in determining if Africa can fully capture the next wave of digital growth. Another significant challenge for the continent is adoption, rather than network coverage.

“While mobile broadband networks now cover the vast majority of the population, approximately 63% of Africans live within coverage but are not using mobile internet. By comparison, only 9% remain outside mobile broadband coverage,” the report said.

With mobile operators expected to invest over $75 billion in network infrastructure between 2024 and 2030, the GSMA is calling for policies that improve affordability to accelerate digital adoption. Its report found that reducing taxes on devices and digital services helps accelerate adoption and expands access – much to the benefit of the digital economy.

“We 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,” Badrinath added.

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