Mobile Ecosystem to be Worth More Than $50 Billion to West Africa Economy by 2022, Finds New GSMA Study
11/04/2018
Abidjan, C te d'Ivoire: The mobile industry in West Africa is forecast to contribute more than $50 billion annually to the region's economy by 2022, according to a new GSMA study published today at the Mobile 360 - West Africa' event being held in Abidjan, C te d'Ivoire. The new report, The Mobile Economy: West Africa 2018, calculates that the region's mobile ecosystem contributed $37 billion in value last year, equivalent to 6.5 per cent of GDP1, and will grow to $51 billion (7.7 per cent of GDP) within five years. The economic contribution over this period will be spurred by strong subscriber growth and the move to mobile broadband networks and services.
Today's report demonstrates the vital role West Africa's mobile ecosystem is playing in driving economic growth and empowering citizens across the region, as well as in delivering against many of the targets of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, said John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer at the GSMA. However, further work is required as more than half of West Africa's citizens are not yet connected to a mobile service, excluding them from the socio-economic benefits that mobile delivers.
Large Youth Populations Driving Subscriber Growth
At the end of 2017, there were 176 million unique mobile subscribers2 across the West Africa sub-region, which comprises the 15 members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)3. This is equivalent to a penetration rate of 47 per cent of the region's population, up from just 28 per cent at the start of the decade. Strong subscriber growth is forecast to continue over the coming years; 72 million additional mobile subscribers are expected to be added in West Africa by 2025, lifting subscriber penetration to 54 per cent. Much of this growth is attributable to the demographic situation across the region, as large youth populations are expected to take out mobile subscriptions as they reach adulthood. According to the report, more than 40 per cent of the population in many countries across Sub-Saharan Africa are below the age of 16.
Meanwhile, the transition to mobile broadband in West Africa is being driven by the expansion of 3G and 4G networks, lower data tariffs and the increasing affordability of smartphones. 3G networks now cover two-thirds of the regional population and 4G adoption is also rising rapidly. As of March 2018, there were 29 live 4G (LTE) networks in nine countries across West Africa, six of which have launched in the last year. 3G and 4G together accounted for 36 per cent of West African mobile connections in 2017 and are forecast to rise to 94 per cent of the total by 2025. Local operators are expected to spend $8 billion (capex) over the next two years building out and upgrading their networks.
Mobile Powering Economic Growth and Jobs
The expected increase in the mobile ecosystem's contribution to the West Africa economy over the next five years will be due primarily to productivity gains. The greater availability of mobile broadband networks, for example, will enable improved access to information and services, which in turn drives efficiencies in business processes across many industries, including finance and health.
Alongside the economic contribution, the mobile ecosystem also supports jobs and contributes to public funding. Last year, the mobile industry in West Africa provided employment to more than 200,000 people, predominantly in the retailing and distribution of services and handsets, and made an annual tax contribution to the public finances of governments of $4 billion.
Connecting a new generation of mobile subscribers across West Africa requires a new era of collaboration between industry and governments in order to implement policies that encourage network expansion, innovation and affordability, added Giusti. In addition to the work of operators to expand and improve networks, significant effort from governments at all levels is needed to create the right conditions for continued investment.
The new report The Mobile Economy: West Africa 2018 is authored by GSMA Intelligence, the research arm of the GSMA, and is available in English and French language versions. To access the full report and related infographics, please visit: https://www.gsma.com/mobileeconomy/west-africa/.
-ENDS-
Translation
French
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:
For the GSMA
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
1 The GDP contribution in 2017 comprised direct mobile ecosystem contribution (2.5% of GDP); indirect contribution (0.5%); and productivity improvements (3.5%).
2 A unique mobile subscriber represents an individual that can account for multiple SIM connections.
3 The 15 countries comprising the ECOWAS are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, C te d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
LINK: | https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/mobile-ecosystem-to-be-wor... |
See more stories from gsma |
Most recent headlines
09/12/2024
Dalet Named an IDC Innovator in Media and Entertainment
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced that it has been named an IDC Innovator in the IDC Innovators: ...
09/11/2024
Dalet Expands Leadership Team to Fuel Next Stage of Growth
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced three new members of its executive team. Tara Bryant joins as Chi...
05/11/2024
Comcast Technology Solutions Introduces Cloud TV Platform
DENVER Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) today unveiled its Cloud TV platform, a centralized ingest, transcoding and video-processing solution supporting live ...
05/11/2024
Report: Shari Redstone to leave Paramount board after Skydance merger
Neither Redstone nor her son, Tyler Korff, will join the new entitys board, said the report By Matthew Corrigan Published: November 5, 2024 Neither Redsto...
05/11/2024
QuickLink Expands Reseller Partner Network to Increase Av...
QuickLink, the leading global provider of multi-camera video productions and remote contribution solutions, announces the expansion of its reseller partner netw...
05/11/2024
Chaos Releases V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max
Today, Chaos releases V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max, bringing Gaussian Splat support, new ways to create interactive virtual tours and more to the most complete rendering...
05/11/2024
New LiveU Studio Simplifies Localization of International...
LiveU is continuing its commitment to provide storytellers with innovative tools that help to engage viewers with diverse content while controlling costs. The c...
05/11/2024
DP David Wells Lenses the Rapper Actor Ludacris with Zeis...
When Austin-based cinematographer David Wells was handed the treatment for the C4 Energy sweepstakes featuring rapper and actor Ludacris, he knew this commercia...
05/11/2024
FAST, AVOD Driving New Ad Tech Options
As content creators, aggregators and distributors continue to finagle their respective paths around the constantly changing video-consumption desires of global ...
05/11/2024
Target To Offer Hisense Xumo TVs
PHILADELPHIA The Xumo streaming platform joint venture between Comcast and Charter Communications has announced that Target will offer Hisense Xumo TVs, a budge...
05/11/2024
Brian Williams Returns to Election Coverage With Prime Video Special
As broadcasters and news nets pull out all the stops for their election night coverage of one of the most hotly contested presidential races in U.S. history, Am...
05/11/2024
Political Ads Drive Scripps to Record Revenue in Q3
CINCINNATI The E.W. Scripps Co. said it produced record revenue of $646 million in Q3 2024, driven by record spending on political advertising....
05/11/2024
Prime Video Launches AI-Powered Recaps of TV Shows
Prime Video has launched a new feature that uses AI to catch viewers up on TV series with recaps of episodes or a full season without providing spoilers to upco...
05/11/2024
Enter to Win Week 3 of the RE:Vision Effects 2024 Raffle at Creative Cow!
Enter to Win Week 3 of the RE:Vision Effects 2024 Raffle at Creative Cow! Brie Clayton November 4, 2024 0 Comments Two chances to win a RE:Vision Effe...
05/11/2024
BatteryEVO Shoots New Commercial with Blackmagic PYXIS 6K
BatteryEVO Shoots New Commercial with Blackmagic PYXIS 6K Brie Clayton November 4, 2024 0 Comments New digital film camera's full frame 6K sensor ...
05/11/2024
Amplify Berklee Gala Raises $1.3 Million for Berklee City Music Scholarships
Amplify Berklee Gala Raises $1.3 Million for Berklee City Music Scholarships This year's event featured a dance party with DJ Jazzy Jeff and performances ...
05/11/2024
Remembering the Rare and Extraordinary Life of Quincy Jones
Remembering the Rare and Extraordinary Life of Quincy Jones With the passing of the legendary musician, composer, arranger, producer, and all-around media mog...
04/11/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Jesse Eisenberg, the Writer-Director of A Real Pain
By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...
04/11/2024
Light up classrooms for the Festivals of Lights with SBS Learn
Light up classrooms for the Festivals of Lights with SBS Learn 4 November, 2024 Media releases SBS Learn is providing educators with ready-made resources s...
04/11/2024
The Science of Conversations: How Generative AI is Revolutionizing Consumer Engagement
In our latest blog, Tim Pearson caught up with Julian Williams at Anthropic to e...
04/11/2024
Transforming the Future of Uncrewed Surface Technology
L3Harris' advanced technologies provide innovative solutions for customers' toughest requirements in the uncrewed systems market....
04/11/2024
NAB Taps Sean Perkins as Chief Marketing Officer
WASHINGTON The National Association of Broadcasters said it has named Sean Perkins as chief marketing officer and senior vice president of Global Connections an...
04/11/2024
Telemundo To Use VR for First Time in Election Coverage
MIAMI In recent weeks a crew of about 150 have been transforming Telemundo's Miami headquarters into two studios that will play a central role in its electi...
04/11/2024
Announcing the Winners of the RE:Vision Effects Raffle, Week 2!
Announcing the Winners of the RE:Vision Effects Raffle, Week 2! Brie Clayton November 4, 2024 0 Comments The results are in for week 2 of the RE:Visio...
04/11/2024
CBS Stations Debut AR/VR Presidential Election Center
An ambitious effort to develop and deploy AR/VR technologies at CBS' owned stations will be taking center stage on Nov. 5 in five markets, when CBS Stations...
04/11/2024
Lloyds Bank hits back against liquidators in Arena Television claim
The bank argued it should not be liable for processing payments linked to an alleged £1.2 billion fraud By Matthew Corrigan Published: November 4, 2024 Upd...
04/11/2024
Getting On Track with Ateliere to explore M&E industry's future trajectory
The interview series will examine subjects such as sustainability within the industry By Matthew Corrigan Published: November 4, 2024 The interview series...
04/11/2024
Iconic Triumph Roadster returns for the re-imagined series of Bergerac on U and U&DRAMA
Jim Bergerac's iconic Triumph Roadster is set to feature in the upcoming re-...
04/11/2024
Hong Kong's RTHK Finds Paris Olympics Streaming Success with Mediatech, Vindral
Hong Kong's RTHK Finds Paris Olympics Streaming Success with Mediatech, Vind...
04/11/2024
A Perfect Storm? The Cloud and the Future of Remote Production
A Perfect Storm? The Cloud and the Future of Remote Production Leaders from FOX Sports, Grass Valley, NEP VISTA Worldlink, and Riedel Communications dissect thi...
04/11/2024
SVG Rewind: ESPN's NHL Frozen Frenzy Delivers a Whip-around Show at Breakneck Speed
SVG Rewind: ESPN's NHL Frozen Frenzy Delivers a Whip-around Show at Breaknec...
04/11/2024
SVG Esports Production Summit 2024: Riot Games to Make In-Depth Presentation on Its New Seattle-Area Remote Broadcast Center
SVG Esports Production Summit 2024: Riot Games to Make In-Depth Presentation on ...
04/11/2024
One system, one source: Rohde & Schwarz leads the way in naval system integration
One system, one source: Rohde & Schwarz leads the way in naval system integratio...
04/11/2024
Euronaval 2024: Stay ahead of emerging threats with comprehensive SIGINT/EW solutions from Rohde & Schwarz
Euronaval 2024: Stay ahead of emerging threats with comprehensive SIGINT/EW solu...
04/11/2024
The Final Bell: Production Begins for the Third and Final Season of Heartbreak High'
Back to All News The Final Bell: Production Begins for the Third and Final Seas...
04/11/2024
Netflix Announces Release of the Documentary 'Avicii - I'm Tim' and Avicii's Last Show From Ibiza's Ushuaa
Back to All News Netflix Announces Release of the Documentary Avicii - I'm ...
04/11/2024
Fox Corporation Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results
Fox Corporation Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results NEW YORK, NY, November 4, 2024 - Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX; FOX or the Company...
04/11/2024
Thales: Launch of the 2024 Employee Share Ownership Plan
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) announces the launch of its 2024 employee share ownership plan, running from Monday 4 November to Fr...
04/11/2024
Double your Money List! Baz Ashmawy is back with brand new series of gameshow The Money List!
Get ready for weekend thrills and high stakes with The Money List on Saturday an...
04/11/2024
RT AND FS IREANN JOIN FORCES TO UNLEASH A TRIO OF NEW IRISH STORYLAND DRAMAS ON RT2 AND RT Player
RT and F s ireann/Screen Ireland are proud to unveil three new Storyland drama...
04/11/2024
Give AI a Look: Any Industry Can Now Search and Summarize Vast Volumes of Visual Data
Enterprises and public sector organizations around the world are developing AI a...
04/11/2024
Thales introduces CoastShield, a coastal surveillance system solution enabling nations to ensure coastal protection and safe maritime operations
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn CoastShield is a modular and scalable advanced c...
04/11/2024
Thales AI developments enhance operational performance of maritime mine countermeasures
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn At the Euronaval exhibition at Paris Nord Villep...
04/11/2024
Thales's Naval DRAKON solution enhances interoperability and secure connectivity for naval forces
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn With the return of high-intensity conflicts and ...
03/11/2024
ALL ABOARD Get On Track with Atelieres Game Show-style Se...
Ateliere Creative Technologies, a leading GenAI media software solutions company, today announced the launch of its innovative game show series, "On Track Wit...
03/11/2024
Pixel Power Makes New Appointments to Support Expansion
Following the launch of an updated brand identity and corresponding restructure, Pixel Power, a Rohde & Schwarz company, is now pleased to announce several sign...
03/11/2024
Skandha recruits new VP of Business and Growth in strateg...
Industry veteran Jim Oakes to boost brand awareness and spearhead company growth as major partnerships continue to form between US sports leagues and streaming ...
03/11/2024
Ikegami UHL-X40 Ultra-Compact Camera plus IPX-100 IP Gate...
Ikegami's UHL-X40 Ultra-Compact camera, IPX-100 IP gateway and OCP-500 camera control unit will make their Japanese market debut at Inter BEE 2024, Makuhari...
03/11/2024
Disguise Platform Storms New Heights at the Top of the Ro...
Disguise, an immersive technology leader with 20 years of experience in live installations for some of the world's most iconic venues including the Burj Kha...
03/11/2024
SATIS 2024 - Leader to showcase leading Test and Measurem...
Test & measurement innovator, Leader Electronics of Europe, has announced that it will showcase both Leader and PHABRIX instruments at this year's SATIS exp...