Mobile sales in Africa grew by 77% in 2005 and will see a 49% growth in 2006, with the mobile market reaching 66 million phones sold, says Carolina Milanesi, principal analyst of mobile devices and consumer services at Gartner.
Gartner is releasing further statistics and facts on mobile predictions in Africa later this week in a research document entitled "Mobile Terminals, Africa, 2003 to 2010", she says.
Milanesi, author of the document, says one of the main reasons for growth in Africa can be attributed to the recent drop in phone prices in many countries. "More affordable mobile phones have helped lower the biggest barrier for users to become subscribers."
She cites the GSM Association, a global ICT network group, as having been instrumental in lowering end product mobile devices to about $30 before tax.
She adds the growth of network coverage in remote areas of the continent and plans to cut tariffs are also adding to market growth. "Growing competition from incumbent telcos like MTN and Celtel is promoting network coverage in the most remote rural areas on the continent."
Fastest growing
Milanesi says Morocco and Egypt are the fastest growing countries in the region in terms of mobile phone uptake, with mobile growth standing at around 143% in Nigeria alone.
"The area has seen huge growth in terms of people becoming subscribers for the first time and has contributed the most to Africa`s growing subscriber base."
There is no chance of mobile market saturation as the trend is for people to move to more up-market mobile devices, says Milanesi.
While new subscriber additions decrease as the penetration in many markets reaches saturation, replacement sales will take over as more and more people look for better technological choices and fashionable devices, she says.
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