African mobile operators are planning to invest $76 billion in network capital expenditure through 2030, a new report showed.
The investment pipeline will support an industry that is expected to add $290 billion a year to the continent’s economy by the end of the decade, up from $240 billion in 2025, according to the report by the GSMA global mobile phone industry group. With basic mobile coverage reaching 91% of the population, companies are redirecting their money toward advanced 5G networks and high-speed fiber lines.
The GSMA called on African regulators to clear the way for companies to share networks and physical infrastructure to keep this spending on track. It argued that co-owning networks and building them together is becoming vital to cut the high costs of reaching rural areas. A senior executive at MTN Group, Africa’s biggest mobile operator, told Semafor the continent risked falling behind in the next wave of the AI boom if it failed to adopt the co-ownership model.