Only 1 in 100 Africans use 5G despite $28 billion investment

Summary

New data from the ITU and UNESCO shows that only around 1% of Africans were connected to 5G in 2024 despite roughly $28 billion poured into next-generation mobile networks over the past five years. By end-2024, just over half of mobile connections on the continent remained on 3G, 4G made up about a third and 2G still accounted for roughly 10%.

The report forecasts 5G reaching about 17% penetration by 2030 — far behind advanced markets. The slow uptake highlights a widening digital divide: big capital has been spent on networks but mass-market adoption lags due to device affordability, patchy coverage, and policy and infrastructure bottlenecks.

Practical alternatives and pilots are being used where full fibre or broad 5G deployment is unaffordable or slow. Fixed wireless access (FWA) and cellular backhaul are being used to connect rural schools and communities — for example in Senegal — while commercial 5G rollouts continue in pockets such as South Africa and Mozambique. Nigeria’s 5G footprint is expanding but remains a small share of total connections.

Key Points

Only ~1% of Africans were on 5G in 2024 despite $28bn investment into next‑generation networks over five years.
By end‑2024: just over 50% of mobile connections were 3G, ~33% were 4G and ~10% were 2G.
5G is forecast to reach roughly 17% penetration in Africa by 2030 — well below advanced markets.
Main barriers to wider 5G adoption: device affordability, limited mass‑market coverage, high rollout costs and uneven policy support.
Operators and governments are using mixes of technologies (FWA, cellular backhaul, targeted 4G expansion) to improve coverage and deliver services where fibre or wide 5G is not yet viable.
Examples: Senegal used fixed wireless access to connect schools; South Africa has ~13% 5G penetration and >50% coverage in places; Nigeria’s 5G users remain a small minority of total connections.
Capex outlook: Sub‑Saharan Africa is expected to attract ~$62bn in telecom capex 2023–2030 as part of a $1.5trn global push into next‑generation networks.

Why should I read this?

Short version: big money went in, but most people aren’t benefitting yet. If you care about digital inclusion, telecom investment, or where tech opportunities will actually land in Africa, this is the quick reality check you need — no fluff, just the facts.

Context and relevance

This matters because a mismatch between heavy network investment and low consumer adoption risks entrenching a two‑tier digital economy: a small urban elite on premium 5G services while most of the population stays on slower 2G/3G connections. That gap affects education, healthcare, e‑commerce and industrial digitisation.

Policymakers and operators need coordinated action: cheaper 5G‑capable devices, targeted coverage strategies combining 4G/5G/FWA, better right‑of‑way and spectrum policies, and public‑private partnerships that tie network rollout to tangible social and economic use cases. Without those, 5G may remain a headline number rather than a widespread catalyst for inclusive growth.

Author style (punchy): This isn’t just numbers — it’s a wake‑up call. Trillions are being talked about globally, but on the ground most Africans still surf on yesterday’s tech. Read the detail if you’re investing, regulating or building services for African markets.