The Africa Group of Six (G6)—which includes Airtel, Axian Telecom, Ethio Telecom, MTN, Orange, and Vodacom—has made notable progress in expanding mobile coverage across sub-Saharan Africa. However, 60% of those in covered areas, approximately 710 million people, remain disconnected due to the high cost of mobile devices.
During Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, G6 members met with industry leaders, policymakers, and global institutions to assess progress and reinforce their commitment to digital inclusion. Discussions primarily focused on handset affordability, identified as the main barrier to mobile adoption. The G6 has been pushing for fiscal reforms, including the expansion of a UNECA study on reducing smartphone taxes to 52 African nations.
To improve accessibility, the coalition is collaborating with the World Bank Group, the ITU, and the GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition while also advocating for regulatory policies that ensure fair contributions from major traffic originators and satellite networks, creating a more balanced digital ecosystem.
Moving forward, the G6 will continue to advocate for the removal of sector-specific taxes on low-cost smartphones and mobile money transactions. It also plans to work with finance ministries, the World Bank, and the IMF to highlight the telecom sector’s economic impact and promote investment-friendly regulations.
In line with its sustainability goals, the G6 has partnered with Mission 300, a World Bank Group and African Development Bank (AfDB) initiative, to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030. It has also released a report outlining strategies for integrating green energy solutions into telecom infrastructure, particularly in off-grid and underserved areas.
