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.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
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 |
More infrastructure data for Africa Western and Central
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.3 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 2.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 86.5 per 100 people (2025)
- Air transport, passengers carried 10.78 million (2023)
- Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide 131,257 (2023)
- Air transport, freight 67.45 million ton-km (2023)
- Renewable internal freshwater resources, total 1,898 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita 3,825 cubic meters (2022)
- Individuals using the Internet 42.4% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, domestic 24.7% (2022)
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.
- 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.