Africa’s 5G market is entering a significant growth phase, with commercial deployments expanding rapidly, subscriber adoption gaining pace, and governments stepping up spectrum allocations to underpin next-generation mobile connectivity across the continent.
According to the latest GSMA Intelligence report, prepared by Kenechi Okeleke, Senior Director, and Shroug Ganawa, Senior Analyst, Africa is expected to surpass 380 million 5G connections by 2030. Operators across the region continue investing in network expansion, fixed wireless access and 5G spectrum allocation to extend broadband coverage.
Globally, 5G has become a mainstream technology, with more than 390 commercial networks deployed across nearly 160 countries as of May 2026. Global 5G connections are forecast to reach 3.4 billion by the end of 2026, representing 37 per cent of all mobile connections worldwide. By 2028, 5G is expected to overtake 4G as the dominant mobile technology.
Subscriber Growth and Coverage Across the Continent
The Africa 5G market has accelerated notably over the past year. By May 2026, 61 operators across 37 African markets had launched commercial 5G services, while 40 operators had also introduced 5G fixed wireless access offerings. GSMA Intelligence projects the continent will close 2026 with just under 100 million 5G connections, equivalent to 6.2 per cent of total mobile connections, before expanding to more than 380 million connections by 2030, accounting for over 20 per cent of the region’s mobile subscriber base.
Despite this momentum, the Africa 5G market still represents only around five per cent of the continent’s 1.5 billion mobile connections, compared with a global average of 33 per cent. This gap highlights substantial room for subscriber growth. However, affordability remains a major barrier. Entry-level 5G smartphones are still priced above US$100, limiting mass-market uptake in many countries. In several African markets, the monthly minimum wage sits around US$100, making an upgrade to 5G devices a difficult proposition for most consumers.
Coverage across the continent remains uneven. Among the 16 focus countries examined in the report, only Mauritius and South Africa had achieved 5G population coverage exceeding 50 per cent as of May 2026. In most other markets, 5G coverage is concentrated within major urban economic hubs and targeted industrial sectors, according to the GSMA.
Spectrum Allocation and Network Investment Gains Pace
Governments and regulators are accelerating 5G spectrum allocation to support network expansion. As of December 2025, nearly 360 operators in more than 110 countries had received 5G spectrum globally, with mid-band frequencies, particularly 3.5 GHz, serving as the primary capacity layer for deployments. More than 90 per cent of European countries had completed 5G spectrum assignments by mid-2025, compared with less than 30 per cent of African countries. However, additional African markets are expected to finalise allocations by the end of 2026.
Recent spectrum investments illustrate the growing commitment to the Africa 5G market. Egypt allocated 410 MHz across the 1.8 GHz, 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands. Morocco awarded 120 MHz to Maroc Telecom and 70 MHz each to Inwi and Orange Morocco, with coverage obligations requiring operators to reach 45 per cent of the population by the end of 2026 and 85 per cent by 2030. Kenya granted Safaricom a 25-year operating licence, while Tanzania assigned four 50 MHz blocks in the 3600–3800 MHz band under 15-year licences. Tunisia allocated 5 MHz in the 700 MHz band and 100 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band to each operator to support nationwide rollout.
5G network investment is also expanding through infrastructure-sharing partnerships. In Morocco, Maroc Telecom and Inwi established joint ventures to deploy 3,000 new telecom towers by 2028 and 6,000 towers by 2033, helping extend coverage while reducing deployment costs.
Fixed Wireless Access Emerges as a Key Growth Driver
5G fixed wireless access is emerging as one of the strongest monetisation opportunities within the Africa 5G market. Around 40 of the continent’s 61 commercial 5G networks already offer FWA services. Regional FWA connections are expected to grow from just under one million in mid-2026 to more than 3.5 million by 2030.
Globally, 5G FWA connections are forecast to increase from 42 million in 2025 to 101 million by 2030. This growth is supported by declining customer-premises equipment prices, which have fallen from more than US$200 to below US$80 for entry-level devices. The GSMA report positions 5G fixed wireless access as a critical pathway for improving broadband connectivity in markets where fixed-line infrastructure remains limited.
The GSMA Intelligence outlook indicates that continued 5G spectrum allocation, sustained network investment and growing FWA adoption will drive the Africa 5G market toward its projected 380 million connections by the close of the decade.