Telecommunication and Internet

The African telecom sector is under a digital revolution. Since its liberalization in the 1980s, the involvement of multinational conglomerates has promoted a healthy competition which led to its flourishing. Most African states had long been resistant to liberalize their telecom markets but had to acknowledge that it was necessary to allow growth and expansion. Due to the deficiencies associated with the state-owned telecom enterprises, the African governments had to realize that only privatization would bring the much-needed financial discipline.

Among all other continents, Africa has been the fastest growing mobile market during the past five years, with more than 170 million mobile users. Mobile telephony has had a significant impact on economic growth, which in many African countries is twice as high as in developed countries. Moreover, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the technology and telecommunication sectors in Africa quadrupled in 2018, from 2017. M&A in the tech and telecoms sector in Africa and the Middle East was valued at US$1 .2 billion in 2017. This is predicted to increase to US$5.9 billion in 2018.

The Sub-Saharan African multichannel market is dynamic, with operators competing across platforms to capture a bigger share of the growing pay TV market. Whereas direct-to-home satellite is the leading platform in South Africa, digital terrestrial television pay TV services in Nigeria and Kenya captured market leadership in the past five years.

Top Telecom Companies in Africa

– MTN South Africa

– Vodacom Group (South Africa)

– Telkom (South Africa)

– Orascom Telecom (Egypt)

– Maroc Telecom (Morocco)

– MTN Nigeria

– Orascom Telecom Algerie

– Mobinil (Egypt)

– Safaricom (Kenya)

– Telecom Egypt)