Dublin, April 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Middle East and Africa Telecom MNO - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The Middle East and Africa Telecom MNO Market is poised for substantial growth, with projected revenues reaching USD 381.79 billion by 2026 from USD 345.04 billion in 2025, and further expanding to USD 633.38 billion by 2031 at a 10.65% CAGR from 2026 to 2031.
Significant investments are underpinning this growth. Egypt allocated USD 150 million for its inaugural 5G license, while Saudi Arabia's 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is set to cover 78% of its population by 2025. Morocco has committed USD 475 million to achieve 25% 5G coverage by 2025, in a regional focus on next-gen access. Despite competitive pressures from low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite broadband and geopolitical concerns, enterprise digitalization and mobile money are counterbalancing these challenges.
Key Trends and Insights
Explosive mobile data growth: Video-centric applications are radically transforming revenue models as consumer preferences shift towards high-definition streaming. In the Gulf region, SMS revenue decreased from USD 4.3 billion in 2013 to USD 3.2 billion by 2018, while mobile data usage surged by 180%. The 5G small-cell market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is anticipated to hit USD 412.54 million by 2030, growing at 40.9% CAGR. In Sub-Saharan Africa, data usage is expected to triple to 14 GB per user by 2030, necessitating investments in spectrum and backhaul infrastructure.
Accelerated 4G and 5G deployments: Regulatory support is streamlining spectrum availability and reducing operator timelines. For instance, Saudi Arabia has earmarked new spectrum bands for non-terrestrial networks and FWA via light licensing. Concurrent 2G/3G shutdowns in several regions are reallocating low-band spectrum to enhance 5G efficiency, benefiting regional MNO profits.
ARPU challenges: Price competition and regulatory compliance, such as biometric SIM registration in Kenya and Ghana, are compressing margins. Inflation undermines consumer spending, although operators are counteracting through strategic content bundles and loyalty programs.
Market Segmentation and Outlook:
Data and Internet services were the largest revenue contributors in 2025, making up 39.35% of total revenue. IoT/M2M services show robust expansion at a 10.74% CAGR through 2031. Meanwhile, voice and messaging services are expected to decline below 25% as OTT platforms gain traction. Edge computing and API monetization are emerging as new revenue avenues that could sustain future growth.
Over the forecast period, the Apps-as-a-Service model will leverage 5G standalone cores to unlock low-latency applications in gaming and telemedicine. Although data pricing trends downward, volume elasticity continues to expand, supporting market size growth.
Market Landscape
Market Drivers
- Explosive growth in mobile data traffic from video-centric apps
- Accelerated 4G and 5G roll-outs enabled by supportive spectrum auctions
- Enterprise digitization fueling IoT/M2M connectivity demand
- Youth-driven smartphone adoption across Sub-Saharan Africa
- Cross-border mobile-money interoperability boosting ARPU
- Private 5G network slicing for mega-projects and smart cities
Market Restraints
- Aggressive price competition and SIM registration curbing ARPU
- Geopolitical instability delaying infrastructure investment
- LEO satellite broadband emerging as rural substitute
- Limited fiber backhaul in land-locked African nations
Key MNO KPIs (2020-2025)
- Unique Mobile Subscribers and Penetration Rate
- Mobile Internet Users and Penetration Rate
- SIM Connections by Access Technology and Penetration
- Cellular IoT / M2M Connections
- Broadband Connections (Mobile and Fixed)
- ARPU (Average Revenue Per User)
- Average Data Usage per Subscription (GB/month)
Technological Outlook
Analysis of key business models in Telecom Sector
Analysis of Pricing Models and Pricing
Regulatory and Policy Framework
Spectrum Landscape and Competitive Holdings
Telecom Industry Ecosystem
Macroeconomic and External Drivers
Porter's Five Forces Analysis
Key Companies Featured
- e& (Etisalat Group)
- STC Group
- Ooredoo Group
- Zain Group
- MTN Group
- Vodacom Group
- Orange Middle East and Africa
- Airtel Africa
- Safaricom PLC
- Maroc Telecom SA
- Telecom Egypt (WE)
- Globacom Limited (Glo Mobile)
- 9mobile (EMTS)
- Telkom SA SOC Limited
- Cell C
- Omantel
- Batelco (Beyon Group)
- du (EITC)
- Sudan Telecom Group Limited (Sudatel)
- Ethio Telecom
- AXIAN Telecom
- Econet Wireless Zimbabwe
- MTC Namibia
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ta6ooj
About ResearchAndMarkets.com
ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
