GSMA to present Digital Africa Index 2026 at Cape Town summit on 18 November
GSMA publishes its Digital Africa Index 2026 on 18 November. Its earlier research found African operators pay 24% more per megahertz of spectrum than their peers.
GSMA, the association of mobile operators, will publish its Digital Africa Index 2026 in Cape Town on Wednesday, 18 November. The index rates the policy and regulatory environment for digital growth in 54 African countries, covering licensing and spectrum, consumer protection, taxation and network rules, and sets out where reforms are working and where gaps remain.
GSMA's research published before the index already sets out part of the problem. Its October 2026 report on spectrum policy in Africa found that African operators hold less spectrum than their peers elsewhere and pay 24% more per megahertz for it. The report says reforms to spectrum and licensing could bring 5G coverage to another 170 million people and add more than $120 billion to Africa's GDP between 2026 and 2035.
GSMA Intelligence estimates that mobile generated $240 billion in economic value across Africa in 2025, rising to $290 billion by 2030. When it launched the index in October 2024, it found that around two thirds of people in Africa did not use mobile internet.
The index will be presented to ministers, regulators and operators at the GSMA Digital Africa Summit in Cape Town. Newzroom dot Africa will report on its findings when they are published.
Newzroom dot Africa has reached out to GSMA and Vodacom Group for comment and is awaiting a response. This story will be updated when they respond.
