– Mobile cellular subscriptions refer to subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) using cellular technology.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan Mobile Cellular Subscriptions was 849 Million in 2024, up 3.9% on 2023. The mobile cellular subscriptions dataset for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (MENAAP) from 2015 to 2024 highlights a rapidly expanding telecommunications market shaped by growing digital adoption, infrastructure investment, and increasing connectivity across both mature and emerging economies.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan Mobile Cellular Subscriptions moved from 466.5 Million in 2015 to 849 Million in 2024 (+82%), an average of +6.9% a year. The series high was 849 Million in 2024 and the low 466.5 Million in 2015.
The gap between the series high (2024) and low (2015) is 382.5 Million. The sharpest single-year move was +41% in 2020.
Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, Egypt has the highest value in 2024 at 113.2 Million, 13.3% of the regional total.
Country ranking
Million. Sort by any column, or search for a country.
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| Rank↕ | Country↕ | Share of top | Million↕ | vs 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt | 113.2 | +6.5% | |
| 2 | Turkey | 94.32 | +2.3% | |
| 3 | Saudi Arabia | 54.18 | +3.2% | |
| 4 | UAE | 22.41 | +5.6% | |
| 5 | Israel | 16.65 | +17.3% |
By region
Million, 2024. Each bar is that region's total.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Million.
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| Year | Million | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024Peak | 849 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 817 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 795 | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 756 | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 721 | +41% |
| 2019 | 511.4 | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 477 | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 474.4 | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 470.4 | +0.8% |
| 2015 Trough | 466.5 | — |
Mobile Cellular Subscriptions — – Mobile cellular subscriptions refer to subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) using cellular technology. It includes both postpaid subscriptions and active prepaid SIM cards that have been used within a specified period (typically the last three months).
Egypt remained the largest individual market, with subscriptions rising from 94.02 million in 2015 to a record 113.19 million in 2024, reinforcing its position as a key regional telecom hub. Türkiye also recorded strong growth, increasing from 73.64 million to 94.32 million subscriptions over the period. In the Gulf region, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates maintained mature markets focused on high-value data services, reaching 54.18 million and 22.41 million subscriptions respectively in 2024. Israel continued its steady expansion, ending the period with 16.65 million subscriptions.
At the regional level, total mobile subscriptions grew significantly from 466.50 million in 2015 to 849.00 million in 2024. A major acceleration occurred between 2019 and 2020, when subscriptions increased from 511.40 million to 721.00 million. Much of this growth was driven by expanding connectivity in developing markets, particularly within the Remaining Countries category, which reached 548.25 million subscriptions by 2024.
The dataset highlights the region’s diverse telecommunications landscape, combining highly connected Gulf economies with rapidly growing mobile markets in North Africa and South-Central Asia. Expanding smartphone adoption, improving network infrastructure, and government-led digital transformation initiatives have supported continued growth across the region.
Overall, the data reflects MENAAP’s emergence as a major global mobile connectivity market, characterized by strong subscription growth, increasing digital inclusion, and significant opportunities for future expansion in mobile services and digital technologies.
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Definition – Mobile cellular subscriptions refer to subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) using cellular technology. It includes both postpaid subscriptions and active prepaid SIM cards that have been used within a specified period (typically the last three months). Inclusions – The data includes all active mobile cellular subscriptions offering voice communication services, covering both prepaid and postpaid accounts. It encompasses subscriptions across analogue and digital cellular technologies (including 2G, 3G, and 4G systems) and is compiled from telecom operators and regulatory authorities, typically aggregated at the national level. Exclusions – The data excludes subscriptions used solely for mobile data services such as USB modems or data cards, as well as private trunked mobile radio, radio paging, telepoint systems, and telemetry services. It also does not capture inactive SIM cards or non-voice-based mobile connectivity services.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan Mobile Cellular Subscriptions was 849 Million in 2024, up 3.9% on 2023.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan Mobile Cellular Subscriptions moved from 466.5 Million in 2015 to 849 Million in 2024 (+82%), an average of +6.9% a year. The series high was 849 Million in 2024 and the low 466.5 Million in 2015.
The highest value was 849 Million in 2024 and the lowest was 466.5 Million in 2015.
The series is sourced from data.worldbank.org (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.CEL.SETS). It covers 2015–2024 and is reported in Million.
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