Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex was 86.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
86.3%
Change on year
down 0.8%
Rank
19th
of 38 groups
All-time high
87.7%
in 2021
All-time low
78.3%
in 2019
Years of data
6
2019–2024
Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex in Southern Africa, 2019–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex in Southern Africa is 86.3%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.
That places Southern Africa 19th out of 38 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex in Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 78.3% | — |
| 2020 | 82.4% | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 87.7% | +6.4% |
| 2022 | 85.7% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 87.0% | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 86.3% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 78.3% | 78.3% | 78.3% | 1 |
| 2020s | 85.8% | 82.4% | 87.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
More science & technology data for Southern Africa
- Proportion of individuals using the Internet 77.2% (2025)
- Proportion of population covered by at least a 2G mobile network 99.8% (2025)
- Proportion of population covered by at least a 3G mobile network 99.3% (2025)
- Proportion of population covered by at least a 4G mobile network 98.7% (2025)
- Proportion of adults (15 years and older) with an account at a 79.4% (2024)
- Proportion of population covered by at least a 5G mobile network 58.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex in Southern Africa?
- Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex in Southern Africa was 86.3% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex recorded in Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 87.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.3% in 2019.
- How does Southern Africa rank for proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex?
- Southern Africa ranks 19th out of 38 groups with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).