Taxation and mobile services in Africa

In 2007, more than 430 million sub-Saharan Africans (60 per cent of the population) were covered by mobile networks. With around 162 million connections, this implies a penetration rate of 37 per cent.

Weighted average network coverage – sub-Saharan Africa

Source: GSMA, Europa Technologies, World Bank WDI Database

Mobile operators’ contributions to total government tax revenues – 2006

Source: Operator data, IMF

Direct and indirect value add and wider economic impact of the mobile industry as share of GDP – 2006

Source: Frontier analysis based on operator and IMF data