Summary 
Mobile phones represent more than 90% of all telephone lines in Africa. Market penetration is expected to pass the 50% mark in 2010, with subscriber growth slowing to around 20% p.a. However, several individual markets are still growing at more than 100% p.a. and stand at only single-digit penetration rates. The continent's most advanced markets have passed the 100% penetration mark.
Although the greatest demand is in the major cities, cellular solutions are also being employed to increase accessibility in rural and other disadvantaged areas. In addition to mobile networks, WLL systems have been introduced in a large number of countries for the provision of fixed-wireless services. Additional choices are available through satellite-based mobile services such as Globalstar, ICO, Iridium and Thuraya.
The introduction of prepaid services and a steady decline in tariffs has meant that about half of Africa's close to one billion people can now afford a mobile phone. However, as lower and lower income groups are being targeted, the declining Average Revenue per User (ARPU) is putting pressure on the network operators profit margins. Literal price wars have broken out in some markets where a large number of operators have been licensed. Despite this, international investors are still very keen to enter the market through new mobile licences or shares in existing mobile operations in Africa.
With their superior national coverage and large subscriber bases, Africa's mobile network operators have built up a level of market power to the extent that they have been called the new incumbents. Newly introduced converged licensing regimes have increased the competitive pressure in a number of key markets but also allow the mobile operators to branch out into new service segments.
A variety of companies have established themselves as regional major players in Africa's mobile sector. South Africa's MTN and Kuwait-based Zain (formerly Celtel) operate in a total of 16 African countries each, in addition to several in the Middle East. France Telecom, through its Orange mobile division has also established a presence in 16 African countries.
MTN's archrival in its South African home market, Vodacom's expansion across the continent has been limited to a total of only five countries due to restrictions from the partnership agreement with its majority shareholder, Vodafone which itself operates in three countries.
Millicom from Luxembourg was also among the early investors, operating under the Tigo brand in six countries.
Orascom from Egypt divested most of its sub-Saharan operations between 2002 and 2005, mostly in markets with low penetration and high growth potential, to concentrate on the more developed North African and Middle Eastern markets. However, in 2008 it established a new subsidiary Telecel Globe to re-enter sub-Saharan Africa, including some of the same markets it had abandoned five years earlier.
Other regional players with major funding from the Middle East include the UAE's Etisalat under the Moov brand, Warid Telecom, and the Lebanon-based Comium Group. African companies that have expanded beyond their home markets include Zimbabwe's Econet, Maroc Telecom (with backing from Vivendi of France), Libya's LapGreen and Sudan's Sudatel under the Expresso brand.
Further consolidation is expected as smaller players are finding it increasingly difficult to compete. But even the bigger pan-African operators have recently become takeover targets for even bigger global players.
Market highlights:Subscriber statistics and estimates for 2010 for each country;Mobile market penetration in Africa is expected to pass 50% during 2010;At least eight African countries will have broken the 100% mobile penetration barrier by the end of the year;While some African mobile markets are still growing at more than 100% p.a.; overall growth across the continent is expected to slow to 17%;Mobile ARPU has bottomed in some markets but is still falling rapidly in others;Some mobile operators are rolling out national fibre optic backbone networks and are entering new service sectors under converged licensing regimes;Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are expected to intensify in an increasingly crowded market.African mobile subscriber growth and penetration-1998-2010 
Year | Subscribers | (million) | Annual growth | Penetration | As percentage of total telephone subscribers |
1998 | 3.38 | 133% | 0.5% | 17% |
1999 | 7.66 | 126% | 1.0% | 29% |
2000 | 11.3 | 48% | 1.5% | 36% |
2001 | 23.8 | 111% | 2.9% | 53% |
2002 | 35.3 | 48% | 4.6% | 62% |
2003 | 52.1 | 48% | 6.1% | 65% |
2004 | 81.0 | 53% | 9.2% | 76% |
2005 | 134 | 65% | 15% | 82% |
2006 | 196 | 46% | 21% | 88% |
2007 | 279 | 42% | 30% | 91% |
2008 | 379 | 35% | 38% | 92% |
2009 (e) | 463 | 22% | 46% | 93% |
2010 (e) | 540 | 17% | 54% | 93% |
(Source: based on ITU, Global Mobile and industry data)
 
Data in this report is the latest available at the time of preparation and may not be for the current year.

Table of Contents 
1. Algeria
1.1 Overview of the mobile market in Algeria
1.1.1 Mobile statistics
1.2 Market analysis 2009
1.3 Regulatory issues
1.3.1 Registration of subscriber details
1.4 Major mobile operators
1.4.1 Algerie Telecom (Mobilis)
1.4.2 Orascom Telecom Algerie (Djezzy)
1.4.3 Wataniya Telecom (Nedjma)
1.5 Mobile handsets
1.6 Tariffs
1.7 ARPU
2. Angola
2.1 Country overview
2.2 Telecommunications market analysis 2009
2.3 Telecom sector liberalisation in Angola
2.4 Overview of the mobile market in Angola
2.4.1 Mobile statistics
2.5 Major mobile operators
2.5.1 Movicel (Angola Telecom)
2.5.2 Unitel
2.6 Satellite mobile
3. Benin
3.1 Market analysis 2009 and outlook to 2014
3.2 The big 'clean-up' 2007
3.3 Overview of the mobile market in Benin
3.3.1 Mobile statistics
3.4 Major mobile operators
3.4.1 MTN (Spacetel-Benin, Areeba)
3.4.2 Moov (Telecel Benin)
3.4.3 Libercom (Benin Telecoms)
3.4.4 BBCom (Bell Benin)
3.4.5 Glo Mobile Benin (Globacom)
3.5 Government confrontation with MTN and Moov
3.6 Mobile voice services
3.6.1 Satellite mobile
4. Botswana
4.1 Telecom sector liberalisation in Botswana
4.1.1 Regulatory reform 2006
4.1.2 Service-neutral licences since 2007
4.2 Overview of the mobile market in Botswana
4.2.1 Mobile statistics
4.3 Regulatory issues
4.3.1 Interconnection
4.3.2 Backbone infrastructure
4.3.3 Airtime tax
4.3.4 Registration of subscriber details
4.4 Major mobile operators
4.4.1 Mascom Wireless
4.4.2 Orange Botswana (formerly Vista Cellular)
4.4.3 BeMobile (BTC)
5.
6. Burkina Faso
6.1 Overview of the mobile market in Burkina Faso
6.1.1 Mobile statistics
6.2 Major mobile operators
6.2.1 Zain (formerly Celtel)
6.2.2 Telmob (Onatel)
6.2.3 Moov (Telecel, Etisalat)
7. Cameroon
7.1 Overview of the mobile market in Cameroon
7.1.1 Mobile statistics
7.2 Major mobile operators
7.2.1 MTN Cameroon
7.2.2 Orange CM
7.2.3 Cameroon Mobile Telecommunications (CMT)
7.3 Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO)
7.4 Satellite mobile
8. Chad
8.1 Market analysis 2009
8.2 Overview of the mobile market in Chad
8.2.1 Mobile statistics
8.3 Major mobile operators
8.3.1 Zain Chad (formerly Celtel)
8.3.2 Millicom Chad (Tigo)
8.3.3 Tchad Mobile (defunct)
8.4 Satellite mobile
9. Cote d'Ivoire
9.1 Market analysis 2010
9.2 Overview of the mobile market in Cote d'Ivoire
9.2.1 Mobile statistics
9.3 Major mobile operators
9.3.1 MTN Côte d'Ivoire (formerly Loteny)
9.3.2 Orange CI
9.3.3 KoZ (Comium Mobile)
9.3.4 Moov (Etisalat)
9.3.5 Oricel (LapGreen)
9.3.6 Warid Telecom
9.3.7 CORA de Comstar and Aircomm CI (Historic)
9.4 Satellite mobile
10. Democratic Republic of Congo
10.1 Overview of the mobile market in Democratic Republic of Congo
10.1.1 Mobile statistics
10.2 Regulatory issues
10.2.1 GSM licence conditions, fees and taxes
10.3 Major mobile operators
10.3.1 Vodacom Congo
10.3.2 Zain DRC (formerly Celtel)
10.3.3 Tigo (Millicom)
10.3.4 CCT
11. Egypt
11.1 Overview of the mobile market in Egypt
11.1.1 Telecom Egypt's mobile deal 
11.1.2 Third mobile licence
11.1.3 Mobile statistics
11.2 Regulatory issues
11.2.1 Tariff structure
11.2.2 International gateways
11.2.3 Mobile Number Portability
11.2.4 Registration of user details
11.2.5 GPS ban
11.3 Major mobile operators
11.3.1 Mobinil (ECMS)
11.3.2 Vodafone Egypt
11.3.3 Etisalat Misr
11.4 Prepaid mobile services
11.5 Satellite mobile
12. Ethiopia
12.1 Overview of the mobile market in Ethiopia
12.1.1 Mobile statistics
12.2 Mobile operator
12.2.1 Ethio-Mobile
12.3 Satellite mobile
13. Gabon
13.1 Overview of the mobile market in Gabon
13.1.1 Mobile statistics
13.2 Major mobile operators
13.2.1 Zain Gabon (formerly Celtel)
13.2.2 Libertis (Gabon Telecom)
13.2.3 Moov (Telecel Gabon)
13.3 Fourth mobile licence
14. Gambia
14.1 Overview of the mobile market in Gambia
14.1.1 Mobile statistics
14.2 Major mobile operators
14.2.1 Gamcel
14.2.2 Africell
14.2.3 Comium
14.2.4 QCell
14.2.5 Additional licences
14.3 Satellite mobile
15. Ghana
15.1 Overview of the mobile market in Ghana
15.1.1 Mobile statistics
15.2 Regulatory issues
15.2.1 Licensing
15.2.2 Tariffs
15.2.3 Interconnect
15.2.4 Taxation
15.2.5 Mobile Number Portability
15.2.6 Infrastructure sharing
15.3 Major mobile operators
15.3.1 Vodafone (Ghana Telecom, OneTouch)
15.3.2 MTN Ghana (formerly ScanCom, Spacefon Areeba)
15.3.3 Millicom Ghana (Mobitel, Tigo)
15.3.4 Kasapa
15.3.5 Zain (Celtel, Westel)
15.3.6 Globacom
15.4 Prepaid mobile services
15.5 Satellite mobile
16. Guinea
16.1 Overview of the mobile market in Guinea
16.1.1 Mobile statistics
16.2 Major mobile operators
16.2.1 MTN Guinea (Areeba)
16.2.2 Sotelgui (Lagui)
16.2.3 Orange Guinea (formerly Spacetel Guinee)
16.2.4 Intercel Guinea (formerly T¨¦l¨¦cel Guinea)
16.2.5 Cellcom Guinee
16.3 Satellite mobile
17. Kenya
17.1 Overview of the mobile market in Kenya
17.1.1 Mobile statistics
17.2 Regulatory issues
17.2.1 Interconnection
17.2.2 International gateways
17.2.3 Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
17.2.4 Quality of Service (QoS) control
17.2.5 Registration of subscriber details
17.3 Major mobile operators
17.3.1 Safaricom Ltd
17.3.2 Zain Kenya (formerly Celtel, KenCell)
17.3.3 Essar Telecom Kenya (Yu, formerly Econet)
17.3.4 Orange Kenya (Telkom Kenya)
17.4 Prepaid cards
17.5 Special regional tariffs
17.6 International roaming
17.6.1 Free international roaming
17.7 VoIP
17.8 Flashback
17.9 GSM community phones
17.10 Price war since 2008
17.11 Satellite mobile
18. Lesotho
18.1 Overview of the mobile market in Lesotho
18.1.1 Mobile statistics
18.2 Major mobile operators
18.2.1 Vodacom Lesotho
18.2.2 Econet Ezi-Cel
18.3 Satellite mobile
19. Liberia
19.1 Overview of the mobile market in Liberia
19.1.1 Mobile statistics
19.2 Regulatory issues
19.2.1 Licence reform
19.2.2 The Comium-Liberia Act
19.2.3 GSM spectrum reallocation
19.2.4 Interconnection
19.3 Major mobile operators
19.3.1 MTN Liberia (LoneStar)
19.3.2 Cellcom
19.3.3 Comium
19.3.4 LiberCell
19.4 Additional licences
20. Libya
20.1 Market analysis 2009
20.2 Overview of the mobile market in Libya
20.2.1 Mobile statistics
20.3 Major mobile operators
20.3.1 Al-Madar (El-Madar)
20.3.2 Libyana
20.4 Satellite mobile
21. Madagascar
21.1 Overview of the mobile market in Madagascar
21.1.1 Mobile statistics
21.2 Major mobile operators
21.2.1 Zain (formerly Madacom, Celtel)
21.2.2 Orange Madagascar (formerly SMM)
21.2.3 Telma Mobile
21.2.4 Madamobil
21.3 Mobile handsets
21.4 Satellite mobile
22. Malawi
22.1 Overview of the mobile market in Malawi
22.1.1 Mobile statistics
22.2 Major mobile operators
22.2.1 TNM
22.2.2 Zain Malawi (formerly Celtel)
22.3 Third and fourth mobile licence
22.3.1 G-Mobile (GAIN)
23. Mali
23.1 Overview of the mobile market in Mali
23.1.1 Mobile statistics
23.2 Major mobile operators
23.2.1 Malitel
23.2.2 Orange Mali (formerly Ikatel)
24. Mauritius
24.1 Overview of the mobile market in Mauritius
24.1.1 Mobile statistics
24.2 Major mobile operators
24.2.1 Orange (MT, Cellplus)
24.2.2 Emtel