Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled was 1.20 billion in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
1.20 billion
Change on year
up 3.9%
Rank
20th
of 45 groups
All-time high
1.20 billion
in 2025
All-time low
0
in 1960
Years of data
54
1960–2025

Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1960–2025

0250.0M500.0M750.0M1.0B1.2B196019922025

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

In 2025, mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 1.20 billion. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.

The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 59.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 1.20 billion in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 20th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1960 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1960 0 —
1965 0 —
1970 0 —
1975 0 —
1976 0 —
1977 0 —
1978 0 —
1979 0 —
1980 0 —
1981 0 —
1982 0 —
1983 0 —
1984 0 —
1985 0 —
1986 0 —
1987 0 —
1988 0 —
1989 3,980 —
1990 7,880 +98.0%
1991 9,600 +21.8%
1992 17,406 +81.3%
1993 59,142 +239.8%
1994 372,608 +530.0%
1995 601,706 +61.5%
1996 1.08 million +80.0%
1997 2.09 million +92.7%
1998 3.87 million +85.5%
1999 6.47 million +67.0%
2000 11.45 million +77.0%
2001 17.05 million +48.9%
2002 25.10 million +47.2%
2003 35.69 million +42.2%
2004 54.21 million +51.9%
2005 90.37 million +66.7%
2006 135.23 million +49.6%
2007 184.82 million +36.7%
2008 261.13 million +41.3%
2009 316.76 million +21.3%
2010 387.95 million +22.5%
2011 471.73 million +21.6%
2012 544.45 million +15.4%
2013 618.08 million +13.5%
2014 680.98 million +10.2%
2015 752.00 million +10.4%
2016 752.40 million +0.1%
2017 765.20 million +1.7%
2018 825.90 million +7.9%
2019 881.80 million +6.8%
2020 944.00 million +7.1%
2021 995.00 million +5.4%
2022 1.08 billion +8.1%
2023 1.13 billion +5.4%
2024 1.15 billion +1.5%
2025 1.20 billion +3.9%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1994 +530.0% 59,142 372,608
1993 +239.8% 17,406 59,142

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 0 0 0 2
1970s 0 0 0 6
1980s 398 0 3,980 10
1990s 1.46 million 7,880 6.47 million 10
2000s 113.18 million 11.45 million 316.76 million 10
2010s 668.05 million 387.95 million 881.80 million 10
2020s 1.08 billion 944.00 million 1.20 billion 6

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 17 Egypt 113.19 million compare
  2. 18 Germany 109.20 million compare
  3. 19 Turkey 94.32 million compare
  4. 20 Colombia 92.07 million compare
  5. 21 South Korea 89.22 million compare
  6. 22 Tanzania 86.77 million compare
  7. 23 Ethiopia 85.95 million compare

See the full ranking of 260 places →

More infrastructure data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 1.20 billion in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 1.20 billion in 2025.
What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled?
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 20th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
Is mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is up 59.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.

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Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 03 October 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-gaps-filled/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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<a href="https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-gaps-filled/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/">Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Mobile cellular subscriptions with 80 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
260 places, 13,119 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Mobile cellular subscriptions with 80 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.