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Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa

South Africa: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 179.34 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
179.34 per 100 people
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
10th
of 212 countries
All-time high
179.34 per 100 people
in 2024
All-time low
0 per 100 people
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa, 1980–2024

0501001502001980200220241980: 0 per 100 people1981: 0 per 100 people1982: 0 per 100 people1983: 0 per 100 people1984: 0 per 100 people1985: 0 per 100 people1986: 0 per 100 people1987: 0 per 100 people1988: 0 per 100 people1989: 0.01 per 100 people1990: 0.014 per 100 people1991: 0.017 per 100 people1992: 0.03 per 100 people1993: 0.094 per 100 people1994: 0.786 per 100 people1995: 1.2 per 100 people1996: 2.1 per 100 people1997: 4.1 per 100 people1998: 7.3 per 100 people1999: 11.2 per 100 people2000: 17.7 per 100 people2001: 22.7 per 100 people2002: 28.5 per 100 people2003: 34.8 per 100 people2004: 42.5 per 100 people2005: 68.6 per 100 people2006: 79.3 per 100 people2007: 83.7 per 100 people2008: 88 per 100 people2009: 89.8 per 100 people2010: 96.2 per 100 people2011: 120.8 per 100 people2012: 127.2 per 100 people2013: 140.6 per 100 people2014: 142.6 per 100 people2015: 155.1 per 100 people2016: 143.9 per 100 people2017: 153.5 per 100 people2018: 157.7 per 100 people2019: 162.7 per 100 people2020: 158.4 per 100 people2021: 163.1 per 100 people2022: 160.7 per 100 people2023: 171.5 per 100 people2024: 179.3 per 100 people

Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.

Analysis

In 2024, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa stood at 179.34 per 100 people. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa peaked at 179.34 per 100 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1980.

That places South Africa 10th out of 212 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa, year by year

Year per 100 people Change
1980 0 per 100 people —
1981 0 per 100 people —
1982 0 per 100 people —
1983 0 per 100 people —
1984 0 per 100 people —
1985 0 per 100 people —
1986 0 per 100 people —
1987 0 per 100 people —
1988 0 per 100 people —
1989 0.0103 per 100 people —
1990 0.0142 per 100 people +38.4%
1991 0.0174 per 100 people +21.8%
1992 0.03 per 100 people +72.6%
1993 0.0941 per 100 people +214.0%
1994 0.7858 per 100 people +735.4%
1995 1.22 per 100 people +54.8%
1996 2.13 per 100 people +75.4%
1997 4.05 per 100 people +90.0%
1998 7.28 per 100 people +79.5%
1999 11.19 per 100 people +53.8%
2000 17.68 per 100 people +58.0%
2001 22.68 per 100 people +28.2%
2002 28.53 per 100 people +25.8%
2003 34.76 per 100 people +21.8%
2004 42.54 per 100 people +22.4%
2005 68.62 per 100 people +61.3%
2006 79.33 per 100 people +15.6%
2007 83.72 per 100 people +5.5%
2008 88.04 per 100 people +5.2%
2009 89.77 per 100 people +2.0%
2010 96.23 per 100 people +7.2%
2011 120.77 per 100 people +25.5%
2012 127.17 per 100 people +5.3%
2013 140.58 per 100 people +10.5%
2014 142.6 per 100 people +1.4%
2015 155.14 per 100 people +8.8%
2016 143.93 per 100 people -7.2%
2017 153.55 per 100 people +6.7%
2018 157.69 per 100 people +2.7%
2019 162.74 per 100 people +3.2%
2020 158.45 per 100 people -2.6%
2021 163.13 per 100 people +3.0%
2022 160.73 per 100 people -1.5%
2023 171.51 per 100 people +6.7%
2024 179.34 per 100 people +4.6%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 179.34 per 100 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 120.66 per 100 people, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 179.34 per 100 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 93.72 per 100 people, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1994 +735.4% 0.0941 per 100 people 0.7858 per 100 people
1993 +214.0% 0.03 per 100 people 0.0941 per 100 people

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.001 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 0.0103 per 100 people 10
1990s 2.68 per 100 people 0.0142 per 100 people 11.19 per 100 people 10
2000s 55.57 per 100 people 17.68 per 100 people 89.77 per 100 people 10
2010s 140.04 per 100 people 96.23 per 100 people 162.74 per 100 people 10
2020s 166.63 per 100 people 158.45 per 100 people 179.34 per 100 people 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 7 Libya 192.97 per 100 people compare
  2. 8 Russia 186.1 per 100 people compare
  3. 9 Cote d'Ivoire 183.88 per 100 people compare
  4. 11 Japan 178.43 per 100 people compare
  5. 12 Israel 177.39 per 100 people compare
  6. 13 El Salvador 176.52 per 100 people compare

See the full ranking of 212 places →

More science & technology data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa?
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa was 179.34 per 100 people in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 179.34 per 100 people in 2024.
What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1980.
How does South Africa rank for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
South Africa ranks 10th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
Is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-per-100-people-2/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people
Unit
per 100 people
Source
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
212 places, 8,985 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed

This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.