Sub-Saharan Africa’s telecom sector is entering a new phase of connectivity, with MTN emerging as the regional leader in mobile network speeds amid expanding 4G and 5G coverage. A recent study based on Ookla Speedtest Intelligence® data across eight major markets—Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, DRC, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria—found MTN consistently outperforming competitors in multiple countries.
In Southern Africa, MTN South Africa recorded the fastest median download speed at 74.76 Mbps, followed by Mascom and Orange Botswana, both exceeding 56 Mbps. Vodacom topped 5G speeds in South Africa, reaching 174.9 Mbps, reflecting the region’s advanced digital infrastructure and early adoption of 5G technologies.
East Africa showed strong performance from MTN Uganda, which delivered the region’s highest 5G median download speed of 235.22 Mbps, ahead of Airtel Uganda’s 160.21 Mbps. Kenya’s Safaricom dominated both 4G and 5G performance, while Airtel Tanzania led in 5G download speeds at 130.35 Mbps.
In West Africa, Orange Côte d’Ivoire achieved 35.25 Mbps, and MTN Nigeria led with a 5G download speed of 226.59 Mbps, reinforcing MTN’s dominance in both speed and infrastructure. Meanwhile, the DRC continues to lag due to limited 4G coverage and lack of 5G deployment.
Botswana remains a 5G pioneer, with Mascom and Orange delivering exceptional results—Mascom recording 206.26 Mbps download and 21.45 Mbps upload speeds, slightly surpassing Orange.
Despite macroeconomic pressures such as inflation and energy costs, operators are doubling down on network expansion, fiber backhaul, and next-gen connectivity. MTN leads in both speed and investment scale, while Vodacom focuses on subscriber growth, and Airtel and Orange continue strategic pushes in emerging 5G markets.
As 5G adoption accelerates, Sub-Saharan Africa is poised for a major leap in digital inclusion, mobile broadband quality, and economic transformation, powered by a young, tech-driven population and growing demand for digital services.
