Mobile cellular subscriptions in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 462.00 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Africa Western and Central, 1960–2025
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
In 2025, mobile cellular subscriptions in Africa Western and Central stood at 462.00 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.5% on the previous year and up 32.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Africa Western and Central peaked at 516.00 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
That places Africa Western and Central 37th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| 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 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 884 | — |
| 1993 | 12,490 | +1312.9% |
| 1994 | 22,039 | +76.5% |
| 1995 | 29,608 | +34.3% |
| 1996 | 62,624 | +111.5% |
| 1997 | 114,533 | +82.9% |
| 1998 | 250,439 | +118.7% |
| 1999 | 541,133 | +116.1% |
| 2000 | 1.43 million | +164.5% |
| 2001 | 2.91 million | +103.3% |
| 2002 | 5.97 million | +105.1% |
| 2003 | 9.74 million | +63.1% |
| 2004 | 19.11 million | +96.2% |
| 2005 | 33.77 million | +76.7% |
| 2006 | 57.01 million | +68.8% |
| 2007 | 82.03 million | +43.9% |
| 2008 | 124.20 million | +51.4% |
| 2009 | 153.64 million | +23.7% |
| 2010 | 186.27 million | +21.2% |
| 2011 | 213.48 million | +14.6% |
| 2012 | 252.87 million | +18.5% |
| 2013 | 290.45 million | +14.9% |
| 2014 | 319.47 million | +10.0% |
| 2015 | 348.20 million | +9.0% |
| 2016 | 356.10 million | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 358.80 million | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 397.10 million | +10.7% |
| 2019 | 423.10 million | +6.5% |
| 2020 | 459.00 million | +8.5% |
| 2021 | 462.00 million | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 508.00 million | +10.0% |
| 2023 | 516.00 million | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 479.00 million | -7.2% |
| 2025 | 462.00 million | -3.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions in Africa Western and Central 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +1312.9% | 884 | 12,490 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 103,375 | 0 | 541,133 | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.98 million | 1.43 million | 153.64 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 314.58 million | 186.27 million | 423.10 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 481.00 million | 459.00 million | 516.00 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More infrastructure data for Africa Western and Central
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 86.5 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 2.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.3 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 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 2.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.8671 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 462.00 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Africa Western and Central?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Africa Western and Central was 462.00 million in 2025, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 516.00 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 37th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the PSTN using cellular technology. The indicator includes (and is split into) the number of postpaid subscriptions, and the number of active prepaid accounts (i.e. that have been used during the last three months). The indicator applies to all mobile cellular subscriptions that offer voice communications. It excludes subscriptions via data cards or USB modems, subscriptions to public mobile data services, private trunked mobile radio, telepoint, radio paging and telemetry services.