Overcoming roadblocks to ignite Africa's digital revolution

Vivek Badrinath, Director General of the GSMA, in his opening speech at GSMA MWC25 Kigali today.

By Dumisani Sigogo

Africa is on the verge of a digital revolution that could open tremendous prospects across the region, but there is a roadblock.

So said Vivek Badrinath, Director General of the GSMA, in his opening speech at GSMA MWC25 Kigali today.

In his message, Badrinath stressed that in order for Africa to capitalise on this opportunity, the GSMA has identified three urgent policy priorities for policymakers: handset affordability, inclusive artificial intelligence (AI) language models, and energy resilience - all of which require bold policy reforms and investment to make the next steps in Africa's digital transformation possible.

He explained: “Africa’s mobile sector is one of the most dynamic in the world, but we must tackle persistent barriers such as high device costs, energy availability issues and the lack of inclusive AI. By working together, governments, industry and development partners can make digital inclusion affordable, sustainable and meaningful for every African.”

To illustrate the opportunities, he referred to the GSMA Mobile Economy Africa 2025 Report, which was also released during the event.

According to the report, Africa has the world's youngest and fastest-growing population, putting it at the vanguard of a digital change that is altering every area of its economy.

The GSMA Mobile Economy Africa 2025 Report shows how mobile connectivity is fuelling economic growth, innovation, and inclusion across the continent.

Key insights:

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• The mobile sector contributed $220 billion to Africa’s economy in 2024 (7.7% of GDP), projected to reach $270 billion by 2030 (7.4%).

• ·The ecosystem supported around 8 million jobs (5 million direct, 3 million indirect) and generated $30 billion in public funding in 2024.

• 416 million people in Africa now use mobile internet, expected to rise to 576 million by 2030 (33% of the population).

• 4G adoption will increase from 45% to 54%, while 5G connections are forecast to surge from 2% to 21% by 2030.

• ·The coverage gap across Africa is below 5%, yet a usage gap of 960 million people persists – 790 million in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, the largest usage gap in the world.

• Between 2024 and 2030, operators will invest $77 billion in new networks, with revenues expected to reach $79 billion by 2030.

Regarding the event, for the third year in a row, Rwandan President Paul Kagame formally opened MWC Kigali, which lasts three days and includes a jam-packed schedule of sessions, summits, and speakers from around the world organisations and governments.

The opening keynote, “Africa’s Future First – Determining the Path to a Digital Future”, saw policymakers, tech pioneers and operators share their vision of how infrastructure, AI and regulations must evolve in tandem to make connectivity universal.

This year also marks the debut of the GSMA Ministerial Programme, providing a platform to shape policies that will accelerate the region’s digital transformation.