MWC25 Kigali Opens with Calls for Policy Reforms to Accelerate Africa's Digital Transformation

Industry leaders convene to shape the continent's digital future through three days of keynotes, summits, and roundtables 

KIGALI, Rwanda, Oct. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As GSMA MWC25 Kigali opens today, industry leaders, innovators and policymakers from across Africa and beyond are gathering to explore how mobile technology can accelerate inclusive growth and drive Africa's digital future. The event takes place as Africa stands on the brink of a digital revolution set to unlock unprecedented opportunities across the region.

However, to unlock this opportunity, the GSMA spotlighted three urgent priorities for policymakers: handset affordability, inclusive artificial intelligence (AI) language models and energy resilience – calling for bold policy reforms and investment to make the next steps in Africa's digital transformation a reality.

Vivek Badrinath, Director General of the GSMA, said: "Africa's mobile sector is one of the most dynamic in the world, but we must tackle persistent barriers such as high device costs, energy availability issues and the lack of inclusive AI. By working together, governments, industry and development partners can make digital inclusion affordable, sustainable and meaningful for every African." 

For the third consecutive year, His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, formally opened MWC Kigali, which runs for three days and features a packed programme of sessions, summits, and speakers from international organisations and government.

The GSMA Mobile Economy Africa 2025 Report
The GSMA Mobile Economy Africa 2025 Report, launched today, shows how mobile connectivity is fuelling economic growth, innovation and inclusion across the continent. 
Key insights: 

• The mobile sector contributed $220 billion to Africa's economy in 2024 (7.7% of GDP), projected to reach $270 billion by 2030 (7.4%).
• The ecosystem supported around 8 million jobs (5 million direct, 3 million indirect) and generated $30 billion in public funding in 2024.
• 416 million people in Africa now use mobile internet, expected to rise to 576 million by 2030 (33% of the population).
• 4G adoption will increase from 45% to 54%, while 5G connections are forecast to surge from 2% to 21% by 2030.
• The coverage gap across Africa is below 5%, yet a usage gap of 960 million people persists – 790 million in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, the largest usage gap in the world.
• Between 2024 and 2030, operators will invest $77 billion in new networks, with revenues expected to reach $79 billion by 2030.

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