Fiber deployments across North Africa surged in 2024, with Egypt maintaining its position as the regional leader in broadband performance. This report provides an updated analysis of fiber adoption and the progress of fixed broadband services (excluding fixed wireless access, or FWA) in the region since our last assessment a year ago.
Key Highlights:
- Egypt’s Broadband Leadership: Egypt has further solidified its lead in North Africa’s fixed broadband sector, achieving a peak median download speed of 80 Mbps in Q2 2024, driven by its expanding VDSL network. By Q4 2024, Egypt continued to lead with a median download speed of 77.89 Mbps.
- Morocco’s Progress: Morocco secured second place by Q4 2024, marking a 32% year-on-year increase in its median download speed to 35.57 Mbps. This growth is largely attributed to the rising number of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connections, positioning Morocco as a key player in the region.
- Algeria’s Rapid Fiber Growth: Algeria, the largest country in North Africa, now boasts the highest number of FTTH/B connections in the region. By early 2025, the country had 1.8 million fiber subscribers, a significant increase from just 478,000 in 2022. Algeria also introduced Africa’s fastest residential fiber package, offering speeds up to 1.2 Gbps.
- Tunisia’s Fiber and 5G Expansion: Tunisia saw steady growth in broadband performance, with VDSL adoption pushing its median download speed to 11.72 Mbps by Q4 2024. Tunisia became the first country in North Africa to launch 5G in February 2025, opening up new opportunities for faster FWA services.
Fixed Broadband Network Performance in North Africa
According to Speedtest Intelligence® data, all North African countries have shown improvements in both median download and upload speeds since Q3 2023. Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt each saw notable increases in their median download speeds by the end of 2024, with Egypt leading in both download and upload speeds.
Fiber Deployment and Adoption Strategies
Countries in North Africa have employed varied strategies to modernize their fixed broadband infrastructure. Egypt has focused on upgrading ADSL to VDSL and expanding FTTH/B in greenfield areas. Algeria has prioritized replacing copper lines with FTTH/B connections, while Morocco and Tunisia have emphasized VDSL deployment alongside ongoing FTTH/B rollout.
Algeria’s Fiber Expansion
Algeria has rapidly advanced its FTTH/B rollout, reaching over 1.5 million connected households by September 2024. With a robust fiber expansion strategy and partnerships with local companies, Algeria aims to further grow its fiber market. The country’s median download speed improved from 12 Mbps in Q4 2023 to 15.65 Mbps in Q4 2024.
Egypt’s Fiber-Driven Speed Improvements
Egypt remains the largest fixed broadband market in North Africa, with Telecom Egypt (TE) dominating the sector. Through ongoing VDSL and fiber deployments, Egypt has significantly boosted its broadband speeds, with the country’s median download speed reaching 77.89 Mbps in Q4 2024, a substantial increase from 49.8 Mbps in 2022.
Morocco’s Fiber Plans and Market Leadership
Morocco continues to lead North Africa in median upload speeds, with a remarkable 31.86 Mbps in Q4 2024. The country’s broadband market has grown steadily, with over 2.5 million fixed broadband connections by September 2024. Morocco’s ambitious “Maroc Digital 2030” initiative aims to connect 4.4 million households with fiber by 2025.
Tunisia’s Fiber and 5G Developments
Tunisia has made progress with fiber adoption, increasing its FTTH/B connections by 70% in 2024. The country’s median download speed reached 11.72 Mbps in Q4 2024. Tunisia’s launch of 5G in 2025 further enhances broadband access, particularly through FWA services, which offer speeds up to 100 Mbps.
The Future of Fiber in North Africa
The continued growth of fiber broadband across North Africa is essential for achieving digital transformation goals and driving economic growth. Although improvements have been made, further efforts are necessary to make high-speed broadband services more affordable and accessible to a larger portion of the population. The region’s progress in fiber deployment and adoption is expected to accelerate, benefiting both consumers and businesses.
Ookla continues to work with ISPs and telecom regulators to track fiber connectivity and coverage improvements, supporting national broadband plans and fostering competition in the fixed broadband market.
