GSMA Opens New Regional Office in Nairobi

Nairobi: The GSMA today announced that it has opened new offices at the Delta Annexe, Westlands, Nairobi. Located in the heart of Nairobi's commercial district, the offices will enable the GSMA to work even more closely with its members and other industry stakeholders to continue to extend the reach and socio-economic benefits of mobile throughout Africa.

It is an exciting time to raise our profile in Africa, as the region is increasingly vibrant and remains the fastest growing region in the world, accounting for 12 per cent of the world's mobile subscribers, said John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA. The rapid pace of mobile adoption has delivered an explosion of innovation and huge economic benefits in the region. This office will open up new and exciting opportunities for collaboration between the GSMA and our members, other industries, governments, regional organisations and the international development community as we work to connect everything and everyone to a better future.

Mobile is a vital tool in delivering digital and financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to research from GSMA Intelligence (GSMAi), around 270 million people in the region now access the internet through mobile devices, while the number of registered mobile money accounts has reached 280 million. The GSMA, through its Mobile for Development programme, is working with mobile operators and others adjacent industries across areas including, mobile-enabled energy, water and sanitation, agriculture, healthcare and gender equality. By leveraging the ubiquity of mobile networks across the region, the mobile industry is delivering innovations aimed at achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The mobile industry is already a key enabler for the regional economy and essential to building a Digital Africa. Mobile technologies and services generated $110 billion of economic value in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2016, equivalent to 7.7 per cent of regional GDP - a figure expected to grow to $142 billion (8.6 per cent of GDP) by 2020 according to GSMAi. The mobile ecosystem also directly and indirectly supported approximately 3.5 million jobs in the region last year, and made a $13 billion contribution to the public sector in the form of taxation.

Key GSMA Events in the Region

Each year the GSMA runs its regional Mobile 360 Series in countries across the world. In 2018 the GSMA will hold two Mobile 360s in the Sub-Saharan Africa region; Mobile 360 - West Africa in Abidjan, C te d'Ivoire on 11-12 April and Mobile 360 - Africa in Kigali, Rwanda on 17-19 July. The events convene local and international policy, regulatory and mobile industry leaders to discuss how to harness the power of mobile technologies for the digital transformation and sustainable development of the region. For information on the Mobile 360 Series, please visit www.mobile360series.com/. Follow developments and updates on Twitter @GSMA, on Facebook www.facebook.com/Mobile360Series and LinkedIn on www.linkedin.com/company/gsma-mobile-360-series.

-ENDS-

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

Media Contacts:

Beau Bass

+44 79 7662 4962

beau.bass@webershandwick.com

David Ntwampe Maila

+ 27 72 015 4702

dmaila@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office

pressoffice@gsma.com

LINK:	https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/gsma-opens-new-regional-of...
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