Africa is world's fastest growing mobile market: study

Bangkok Post, AFP, 14/11/2012

A handset dealer in Lagos in 2008. The number of Africa's mobile subscriptions
 will reach 761 million this year, making the continent once again the fastest
growing market in the world, a research group has claimed.

The number of Africa's mobile subscriptions will reach 761 million this year, making the continent once again the fastest growing market in the world, a research group has claimed.

Pushed on by the continent's robust economic growth and an increasingly competitive marketplace the number of subscriptions in Africa is set to hit one billion by 2015, London-based Informa Telecoms & Media said Monday.

The group forecasts that the African market will have grown 18 percent by the end of next year, against the world average of 11 percent.

"Africa's mobile market continues to grow robustly, driven by competition among mobile operators, the availability of new data services and strong economic growth on the continent," said Africa and Middle East analyst Matthew Reed.

"And substantial opportunities for further growth remain, because the rate of mobile penetration in Africa is the lowest among major world regions and fixed networks are under-developed or absent across much of the continent."

Africa is the world's second largest mobile market behind Asia, but penetration by end-September was only 68 percent against a world average of 91 percent.

Informa forecasts 1.13 billion subscriptions by the end of 2017. The continent's biggest mobile market Nigeria, with 100 million subscriptions, is set to rise to 169 million.

Mobile data is also on the increase, said the firm.

Industry association GSMA said last year that the industry on the continent accounted some 3.5 per cent of total GDP, or $56 billion of which mobile operators made up the largest chunk.

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"..  Let me tell you where else it's happening that you are unaware - that which is the beginning of the unity of the African states. Soon the continent will have what they never had before, and when that continent is healed and there is no AIDS and no major disease, they're going to want what you have. They're going to want houses and schools and an economy that works without corruption. They will be done with small-minded leaders who kill their populations for power in what has been called for generations "The History of Africa." Soon it will be the end of history in Africa, and a new continent will emerge.

Be aware that the strength may not come from the expected areas, for new leadership is brewing. There is so much land there and the population is so ready there, it will be one of the strongest economies on the planet within two generations plus 20 years. And it's going to happen because of a unifying idea put together by a few. These are the potentials of the planet, and the end of history as you know it.

In approximately 70 years, there will be a black man who leads this African continent into affluence and peace. He won't be a president, but rather a planner and a revolutionary economic thinker. He, and a strong woman with him, will implement the plan continent-wide. They will unite. This is the potential and this is the plan. Africa will arise out the ashes of centuries of disease and despair and create a viable economic force with workers who can create good products for the day. You think China is economically strong? China must do what it does, hobbled by the secrecy and bias of the old ways of its own history. As large as it is, it will have to eventually compete with Africa, a land of free thinkers and fast change. China will have a major competitor, one that doesn't have any cultural barriers to the advancement of the free Human spirit. …."