By the end of 2024, Egypt reported 120 million mobile phone subscriptions, reflecting a penetration rate of approximately 105% for its estimated population of 114.5 million. The Egyptian telecom market is served by four major operators: Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat Misr, and WE (Telecom Egypt’s mobile arm). The country also saw over a 10% increase in mobile internet usage within one year, supported by services such as eSIM cards and Wi-Fi calling to maintain communication even in remote areas.
This milestone places Egypt as the second-largest telecom market in Africa, following Nigeria, which leads with 164.9 million subscriptions and a penetration rate of 76.08% for a population of 213 million. South Africa ranks third with 116.8 million subscriptions and an estimated 90% penetration.
Other top African markets as of December 2024 include Tanzania (86.8 million subscriptions), Ethiopia (85.4 million), Kenya (71.4 million), Democratic Republic of Congo (63.9 million), Ivory Coast (58.7 million), Morocco (58.3 million), and Algeria (54.05 million).
While subscription numbers often exceed unique users due to multiple SIM card ownership per person, these figures illustrate the continent’s expanding mobile connectivity landscape, with many countries showing penetration rates exceeding 100%.
