Sub-Saharan Africa SSA is rapidly adopting 5G technology while continuing to expand 4G networks, as telecom operators aim to improve connectivity, customer experience, and operational efficiency. A recent analysis using Ookla Speedtest Intelligence data and operators' reports examined mobile network performance across eight key countries - Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo DRC, Cote d'Ivoire, and Nigeria - covering 55 of SSA's mobile connections. The study focused on major operators under Airtel Africa, Orange, MTN, and Vodacom.
In Southern Africa, MTN South Africa achieved the fastest median download speed across the region at 74.76 Mbps, followed by Mascom and Orange in Botswana, both exceeding 56 Mbps. Vodacom led in 5G performance in South Africa, achieving 174.9 Mbps median download speed. Southern Africa consistently outperforms other sub-regions due to more advanced infrastructure and earlier adoption of 5G.
In East Africa, MTN Uganda emerged as the top performer, with a 5G median download speed of 235.22 Mbps, ahead of Airtel Uganda at 160.21 Mbps. In Kenya, Safaricom dominated the market, with 4G and 5G speeds more than double those of Airtel. In Tanzania, Airtel led in 5G median speeds 130.35 Mbps download, while Vodacom achieved slightly higher 5G availability 26.4 vs. Airtel's 2.8.
