In the early 2000s, most of sub-Saharan Africa had limited fixed-line phone and broadband coverage outside major cities. Mobile operators expanded faster than fixed networks, creating a foundation where the internet would increasingly be accessed through cellular networks rather than desktop connections.
Safaricom launched M-PESA in Kenya in March 2007, allowing people to send and store money using mobile phones without needing a bank account. While not an internet technology by itself, it helped prove that everyday services could scale through mobile networks—supporting the later shift toward mobile data and app-based services.
In March 2007, Nigeria awarded 3G licenses to major operators, supporting faster mobile data services beyond 2G voice and SMS. This type of licensing step mattered across the region: where regulators released spectrum and operators invested, mobile internet could begin moving from basic browsing to more reliable broadband-like access.
In March 2007, the World Bank approved financing for the Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (RCIP) for Kenya, Madagascar, and Burundi. The goal was to improve open access to international connectivity and close gaps in terrestrial (overland) broadband networks, helping reduce the cost of internet capacity and extend coverage beyond coastal landing points.
In June 2009, Kenya officially launched the TEAMS undersea fiber cable from Mombasa to Fujairah (UAE). Submarine cables matter because they carry large amounts of international internet traffic at far lower cost than satellite links, making widespread mobile internet more practical and affordable.
On July 23, 2009, the SEACOM submarine cable entered service along Africa’s eastern and southern coasts. By providing high-capacity international bandwidth, it helped lower the wholesale cost of internet connectivity—supporting rapid growth in mobile data services and national fiber “backhaul” links from the coast inland.
In July 2010, the EASSy submarine cable became ready for service along the east coast of Africa. More cable capacity and competing routes improved resilience (fewer single points of failure) and helped continue downward pressure on international bandwidth prices, which supported wider mobile-broadband rollout.
On May 11, 2012, the West Africa Cable System (WACS) began carrying traffic, linking multiple West and Southern African landing points to Europe. This added large new international capacity for Atlantic-facing countries and helped operators plan faster mobile internet services that depend on affordable international transit.
In December 2012, the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) cable was put into service, adding another high-capacity undersea route with many West African landing points. Additional landings made it easier for more countries to connect directly to modern international fiber networks rather than routing through distant hubs.
In October 2013, leaders at the Transform Africa Summit adopted the Smart Africa Manifesto, aiming to accelerate development through ICT (information and communication technologies). This political commitment helped elevate connectivity—especially broadband and mobile internet—as a cross-border priority rather than only a national telecom issue.
By the mid-2010s, countries began moving from 3G to 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution), which supports faster and more reliable mobile broadband. For example, Safaricom launched 4G services for consumers in Kenya in December 2014, marking a clear step toward smartphone-centered internet use in major cities.
By 2020, sub-Saharan Africa had hundreds of millions of mobile internet users, with smartphones making up a growing share of connections. The overall story from 2000–2020 is a shift from limited fixed-line access to a “mobile-first” internet, enabled by expanded 3G/4G networks and major undersea cable investments that lowered the cost and improved the reach of connectivity.
Mobile Cellular-to-Internet Transition in Sub-Saharan Africa (2000–2020)