Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita was 0.9049 units per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.
Analysis
In 2025, mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 0.9049 units per person. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 23.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 0.9049 units per person in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0 units per person, in 1960.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 31st out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | units per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1965 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1970 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1975 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1976 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1977 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1978 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1979 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1980 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1981 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1982 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1983 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1984 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1985 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1986 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1987 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1988 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1989 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1990 | 0 units per person | +92.6% |
| 1991 | 0 units per person | +18.6% |
| 1992 | 0 units per person | +76.5% |
| 1993 | 0.0001 units per person | +230.6% |
| 1994 | 0.0006 units per person | +513.5% |
| 1995 | 0.001 units per person | +57.3% |
| 1996 | 0.0018 units per person | +75.3% |
| 1997 | 0.0033 units per person | +87.7% |
| 1998 | 0.006 units per person | +80.6% |
| 1999 | 0.0098 units per person | +62.6% |
| 2000 | 0.0168 units per person | +72.3% |
| 2001 | 0.0244 units per person | +45.0% |
| 2002 | 0.0349 units per person | +43.3% |
| 2003 | 0.0484 units per person | +38.4% |
| 2004 | 0.0715 units per person | +47.8% |
| 2005 | 0.116 units per person | +62.2% |
| 2006 | 0.1689 units per person | +45.6% |
| 2007 | 0.2245 units per person | +33.0% |
| 2008 | 0.3086 units per person | +37.4% |
| 2009 | 0.3641 units per person | +18.0% |
| 2010 | 0.4338 units per person | +19.1% |
| 2011 | 0.5132 units per person | +18.3% |
| 2012 | 0.5764 units per person | +12.3% |
| 2013 | 0.6367 units per person | +10.5% |
| 2014 | 0.6827 units per person | +7.2% |
| 2015 | 0.7339 units per person | +7.5% |
| 2016 | 0.7151 units per person | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 0.7084 units per person | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 0.7446 units per person | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 0.7745 units per person | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 0.8081 units per person | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 0.8305 units per person | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 0.8761 units per person | +5.5% |
| 2023 | 0.9009 units per person | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 0.8923 units per person | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 0.9049 units per person | +1.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +513.5% | 0.0001 units per person | 0.0006 units per person |
| 1993 | +230.6% | 0 units per person | 0.0001 units per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 units per person | 0 units per person | 0 units per person | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 units per person | 0 units per person | 0 units per person | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 units per person | 0 units per person | 0 units per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0023 units per person | 0 units per person | 0.0098 units per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1378 units per person | 0.0168 units per person | 0.3641 units per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6519 units per person | 0.4338 units per person | 0.7745 units per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8688 units per person | 0.8081 units per person | 0.9049 units per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More infrastructure data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 1.20 billion (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 90.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 5.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0038 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -16.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 5.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 1.20 billion (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita in Sub-Saharan Africa was 0.9049 units per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.9049 units per person in 2025.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 units per person in 1960.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 31st out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Mobile cellular subscriptions divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Mobile cellular subscriptions ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Mobile cellular subscriptions World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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
Mobile cellular subscriptions divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.