OpenSignal, an independent analytics company, has come up with a new report showcasing the disparities in Africa’s mobile network experience.
The company analyzed 27 African countries using key measures such as Download Speed Experience and Consistent Quality (CQ) in their findings.
Highlights from the report
- South Africa stands out in download speed: Smartphone users in South Africa observe the fastest Download Speed Experience on the continent at 34.5Mbps — about 50% faster than second-placed Zimbabwe.
- There are notable disparities in Consistent Quality: While South Africa and Tunisia perform relatively well, around 60% of analyzed African countries score below 30% in CQ.
- Reliance on 2G and 3G limits users’ experience: Across all compared markets, users spend 8.3% to 38.5% of their time on 3G and 2G networks, with 63% of the markets spending over 20% of the time on older technologies(2G and 3G).
- Time with No Signal (%) remains a challenge: In Tunisia, users spend most of their time without a signal, highlighting significant gaps in service and infrastructure.
More details
The report shows that smartphone users see a diverse mobile experience across Africa. Starting with average download speeds, South Africa sets the bar among compared African markets at 34.5Mbps — 50% faster than second-placed Zimbabwe’s 22.9Mbps, followed by Morocco, Kenya, Tunisia and Madagascar — the only other markets to score above 20Mbps. The download speeds observed in South Africa are at least two times faster than in 20 out of 27 analyzed markets and 4.4 times faster than last placed Angola.
In terms of Consistent quality, South Africa performs strongly with a score of 58.6%, less than one percentage point ahead of Tunisia. Meanwhile, in more than half of compared African markets, Consistent Quality scores are below 30%, suggesting that connectivity struggles to maintain the stable performance needed for even basic digital services in many African countries — especially in markets like Mali, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Ethiopia where Consistent Quality is lower than 10%.
In 11 out of 27 compared African markets, users spend over 20% of their time connected to 3G, an ageing technology that lacks the speed and capacity to support modern applications. Additionally, in Mali and Zimbabwe, users spend over 6% of their time on 2G, restricting data-intensive service usage.
Takeaways from the report
The mobile network experience across Africa varies due to differences in macroeconomic conditions, investment levels, regulatory frameworks, and infrastructure quality.
To close the digital divide in Africa, markets need to focus on key areas: invest in infrastructure, allocate spectrum efficiently, establish supportive regulations, enhance digital skills, make devices affordable, and promote the widespread use of 4G and 5G technologies. These actions will provide users with the connectivity necessary to engage in the digital economy and access new opportunities.
Source: OpenSignal
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