The number of smartphone users in Africa crossed the 300 million mark in 2016 whilst the Total number of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) connections is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2030.
Africa’s appetite for communications technology remains undimmed. Coming late to the telecommunications party, in a way, proved to be advantageous: in many cases, African economies have been able to leapfrog directly to the latest technology, unhampered by the need to ensure a return on investments in legacy technologies.
As a result, the majority of Africans with access to the Internet do so via mobile devices, and Internet penetration is growing strongly at around 20 percent, albeit off a low base.
There is wide consensus that Africa’s economic potential will only be fully reached if its economies digitise. Given that mobile technologies are the dominant means for accessing the Internet, this means that Africa’s telcos have a significant opportunity to provide the digital platforms for economic activity, something that is particularly important as revenues from pure voice and data will continue to reduce in the face of relentless competition.
The Telecommunications industry has witnessed exponential growth over the last few years primarily driven by affordable tariffs, wider availability, roll out of Mobile Number Portability (MNP), expanding 3G and 4G coverage, evolving consumption patterns of subscribers and a conducive regulatory environment.
The number of smartphone users in Africa crossed the 300 million mark in 2016 whilst the Total number of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) connections is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2030. The African mobile economy is growing rapidly and will contribute substantially to Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
There is a growing need for Telecommunication solutions that cut across industry sectors like health care, agriculture, retail, transport and logistics, manufacturing, mining and even real estate. It is therefore our aim, as Investment Hub, to be at the forefront of ensuring that connectivity is seen as an important ingredient of the entire value chain. Our goal is to assist operators to remain relevant by investing in platforms that allow for faster time to market and differential charging mechanisms.
Globally, the telecommunication industry has changed dramatically in the last 10 years with consumer needs becoming more demanding. We see this as an opportunity to expand service portfolios that will cater to this demand for the ultimate digitalisation of the region and a growing African economy.
The number of smartphone users in Africa crossed the 300 million mark in 2016 whilst the Total number of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) connections is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2030.