North Africa is entering a new digital era as countries fast-track 5G deployment, with Tunisia and Egypt setting the pace for regional adoption. According to Ookla’s Speedtest report, Tunisia became the first to launch 5G in February 2025, deploying 700 MHz and 3500 MHz spectrum through its three operators — Tunisie Telecom, Orange Tunisie, and Ooredoo Tunisie. The launch propelled Tunisia to the top of North Africa’s Speedtest Global Index, achieving download speeds above 300 Mbps and latency below 12 ms, later stabilizing around 200 Mbps as adoption increased.
Egypt followed in June 2025, activating 5G on 2500 MHz spectrum via its four operators: Telecom Egypt, e& Egypt, Orange, and Vodafone. With coverage in key cities like Cairo and Alexandria, Vodafone alone launched 2,000 sites nationwide. The introduction of 5G doubled Egypt’s mobile download speeds to 82.49 Mbps, pushing the country up 17 places to 69th in the Speedtest ranking. Operators encouraged adoption with free activation and discounts rather than new tariffs, while 5G speeds exceeded 100 Mbps.
Algeria and Morocco are preparing to launch 5G by the end of 2025. Algeria will begin in eight pilot provinces, including Algiers and Oran, leveraging the fact that up to 70% of smartphones are already 5G-ready. Morocco, driven by major sporting events like the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, has set ambitious coverage targets of 45% by 2026 and 85% by 2030, backed by large-scale infrastructure projects under its Digital Morocco 2030 plan.
While fixed wireless access (FWA) has been introduced in Tunisia and Egypt, adoption is limited by high equipment costs and pricing comparable to fiber and VDSL. Nevertheless, 5G’s broader impact is expected to be transformative, enabling innovation across agriculture, logistics, smart cities, and digital services. With strong policies and investment, North Africa is poised to strengthen its role as an emerging digital economy in the MENA region.
