Kenya is among 11 African markets targeted under a new digital connectivity roadmap that seeks to accelerate the shift from older 2G and 3G mobile networks to faster 4G and 5G services by 2030.
The roadmap, developed by the GSMA and the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA), was launched during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Rather than focusing only on expanding network coverage, the initiative seeks to get more Africans actively using the internet by addressing the cost of smartphones, digital skills, reliable electricity and access to useful online services.
The 11 markets covered are Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Niger, Ethiopia, Egypt, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kenya is already moving towards faster networks
The shift is already visible in Kenya’s mobile market, where consumers have increasingly moved away from older network technologies.
Data cited in the report shows that legacy connections are declining as 4G and 5G gain ground.
Kenya’s 2G subscriptions fell from 12.8 million in 2025 to 9.3 million by June 2026, representing a 27.3 per cent decline.
Over the same period, 3G subscriptions dropped by 39.2 per cent, from 7.4 million to 4.5 million.
At the same time, 4G subscriptions increased from 37.2 million to 48.3 million, while 5G subscriptions rose from 1.2 million to 2.1 million.
The figures point to a continuing change in how Kenyans access mobile services, with newer broadband technologies accounting for a growing share of connections.
Roadmap targets more than network upgrades
The GSMA says Africa’s challenge is no longer simply putting mobile networks in more places.
The roadmap estimates that about 906 million people across Africa remain within the mobile broadband coverage area but do not use mobile internet. This represents almost 60 per cent of the continent’s population.
Another 122 million people, or about 8 per cent of the population, remain outside mobile broadband coverage.
The initiative therefore places emphasis on making smartphones affordable, improving digital skills and building trust in online services alongside network investment.
John Giusti, GSMA Chief Regulatory Officer and President of the GSMA Foundation, said Africa had already built much of the network infrastructure needed for its digital future.
He said the priority was now to make smartphones and services affordable, equip people with practical skills and ensure connectivity provides meaningful value in everyday life.
Energy and infrastructure sharing also targeted
The roadmap also links digital expansion to access to reliable electricity.
It proposes closer coordination between energy and connectivity investments, particularly in underserved areas where unreliable power can increase the cost of operating networks and limit people’s ability to use digital devices.
Infrastructure sharing is another part of the proposed approach, with the aim of reducing the cost of extending connectivity to rural and hard-to-reach communities.
The GSMA and PDAA also want governments and private-sector players to work together on investments in schools, healthcare facilities and other public institutions that can help drive demand for digital services.
One billion people targeted by 2030
The wider ambition is to connect one billion Africans to the internet by 2030.
The roadmap estimates that halving the mobile internet usage gap across the 11 markets studied could bring about 245 million additional people online.
The initiative also stresses that countries will not follow exactly the same path.
While some markets still need to expand broadband coverage and electricity access, others may need to focus more on affordable devices, digital skills, online safety and locally relevant services.
For Kenya, the declining use of 2G and 3G alongside rapid growth in 4G and 5G suggests that the country is already undergoing the transition the roadmap seeks to accelerate.
However, the GSMA framework goes beyond switching off older technologies. It places the focus on ensuring that more people can afford to connect, have the skills to use digital services and can benefit from meaningful participation in the digital economy.
