Ericsson’s “Mobility Report June 2024” predicts significant growth in 5G subscriptions in Sub-Saharan Africa, with an expected increase from 11 million in 2023 to 320 million by 2029.
This growth will be primarily driven by the availability of spectrum in low and midbands and the decreasing prices of compatible devices. 5G subscriptions are projected to represent 28% of all mobile network subscriptions in the region by the end of 2029, overtaking 3G subscriptions.
Furthermore, the report anticipates a decline in 2G subscriptions as more customers transition to 4G and 5G networks. Sub-Saharan Africa is also expected to experience the highest annual growth rate in mobile phone subscriptions globally, reaching 1.17 billion by 2029. Additionally, smartphone adoption is projected to soar, with an expected 790 million users in 2029 compared to 460 million in 2023.
The report also forecasts a substantial increase in mobile data traffic, with an expected rise from 2 exabytes per month in 2023 to 13 exabytes per month by 2029. This surge is attributed to factors such as increased connections, expanded network coverage, improved smartphone accessibility, and growing demand for data-intensive content like gaming and video streaming.
Globally, the report estimates that mobile service subscriptions will reach 9.26 billion by 2029, with 5G subscriptions accounting for 60% of all mobile network subscriptions. These figures mark a significant increase from the 8.5 billion subscriptions in 2023, signalling the widespread adoption of 5G technology worldwide.
