Fiber broadband deployments in North Africa have accelerated in 2024, with Egypt continuing to lead the region in broadband performance. This report evaluates the progress in fiber deployment and adoption across the region, highlighting key developments in Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
Key Highlights: Egypt extended its lead in fixed broadband performance in 2024, achieving a peak median download speed of 80 Mbps in Q2 2024, driven by the expansion of VDSL networks. Morocco, ranking second in Q4 2024, saw a 32% improvement in median download speeds, reaching 35.57 Mbps, primarily due to a growing number of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connections.
Algeria, the largest country and FTTH market in North Africa, experienced a dramatic rise in fiber subscribers, growing from 478,000 in 2022 to 1.8 million by early 2025. In November 2024, Algeria introduced Africa’s fastest residential fiber package at 1.2 Gbps. Despite this, the continued reliance on DSL hampers Algeria’s overall broadband performance.
Tunisia saw significant progress with VDSL adoption in 2024, increasing median download speeds to 11.72 Mbps in Q4 2024. Tunisia also became the first country in North Africa to launch 5G in February 2025, opening new opportunities for faster fixed wireless access (FWA) services.
Egypt continues to outperform its regional peers in terms of fixed broadband speed, ranking first for both download and upload speeds. The country’s median download speed reached 77.89 Mbps in Q4 2024, while Morocco surpassed Egypt in median upload speed, achieving 31.86 Mbps. Both Algeria and Tunisia have shown notable improvements in their broadband performance.
Fiber Deployment and Adoption Boosting Broadband Performance: North African countries have employed various strategies to modernize their fixed broadband infrastructure. Egypt has largely upgraded its ADSL network to VDSL and has focused on FTTH deployments in new areas. Algeria has prioritized the replacement of copper lines with FTTH/B connections, while Morocco and Tunisia have focused on a combination of VDSL and FTTH/B rollouts.
As of Q3 2024, Algeria leads the region in FTTH/B connections, with more than 1.5 million connected households, followed by Morocco with 990,000 FTTH/B connections. Tunisia ranks fourth with over 99,000 FTTH/B connections, while Egypt has the most VDSL connections, with nearly 10 million fixed broadband subscribers benefiting from the technology.
Algeria’s FTTH market has seen rapid growth, with the number of fiber subscribers jumping to 1.8 million by early 2025. The country’s efforts to replace copper lines with fiber, along with the introduction of competitive fiber packages, have driven improvements in speed and market penetration.
Algeria also introduced the continent’s fastest broadband plan at 1.2 Gbps, priced at DZD4,200 ($31) per month, and partnered with Djezzy to offer a media set-top box supporting both fiber and 4G.
Egypt’s ongoing VDSL upgrades have contributed to significant improvements in broadband speeds, with median download speeds reaching 77.89 Mbps in Q4 2024. Telecom Egypt, the country’s dominant broadband provider, continues to expand fiber-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) coverage, with more than 33 million homes connected to next-generation broadband by mid-2024.
Morocco’s fiber broadband market is growing steadily, with more than 2.5 million fixed broadband connections by September 2024. The country leads North Africa in median upload speeds, with a remarkable 31.86 Mbps in Q4 2024. The government’s “Maroc Digital 2030” program aims to connect 4.4 million households to fiber by 2025, with a goal of 5.6 million by 2030.
Tunisia’s broadband market continues to grow, with over 1.2 million subscribers as of Q3 2024. VDSL has driven much of the growth, with nearly 415,000 subscribers by Q3 2024, while fiber connections increased by 70% to nearly 100,000. Tunisia aims to significantly boost its fiber connections in the coming years, with plans to reach 500,000 by 2025.
The Rise of 5G and Future Prospects: Tunisia’s launch of 5G services in February 2025 marks a significant milestone for the region. This move is expected to drive the growth of FWA services, with speeds of up to 100 Mbps. As the first country in North Africa to launch 5G, Tunisia will benefit from enhanced mobile and fixed broadband services.
Fiber technology remains essential for the region’s continued growth. Further fiber deployment and increased accessibility will be crucial in bridging the digital divide and supporting the ongoing digital transformation in North Africa. Enhanced network infrastructure, combined with efforts to make broadband services more affordable, will help accelerate the region’s economic growth and innovation.
Conclusion: The rapid advancements in fiber deployment across North Africa are boosting broadband performance and positioning the region as a leader in digital infrastructure development. While Egypt remains the top performer in terms of broadband speed, other countries like Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia are making substantial strides in improving network quality and accessibility, which will continue to drive economic and technological growth in the region.
