The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), in collaboration with six of Africa’s largest mobile operators – Airtel, Axian Telecom, Ethio Telecom, MTN, Orange and Vodacom – have proposed a groundbreaking baseline set of minimum requirements for an affordable entry-level 4G smartphone.

The initiative, which is part of the GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition, is designed to accelerate digital inclusion across the continent by lowering the cost of smartphone ownership for millions who remain unconnected.

Smartphone affordability remained the single largest barrier to mobile Internet adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the GSMA’s State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 Report, more than three billion people globally live within mobile broadband coverage but do not use the Internet, with affordability of handsets cited as the top challenge.

GSMA Intelligence estimated that a $40 smartphone could bring mobile Internet within reach for an additional 20 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, while a $30 handset could enable up to 50 million to get connected.

The requirements propose baseline specifications for memory, RAM, camera quality, display size, battery performance and other features to ensure a viable, long-lasting 4G smartphone experience at a significantly reduced cost.

Director-General of the GSMA, Vivek Badrinath, said: “Access to a smartphone is not a luxury – it is a lifeline to essential services, income opportunities and participation in the digital economy. By uniting around a shared vision for affordable 4G devices, Africa’s leading operators and the GSMA are sending a powerful signal to manufacturers and policymakers. This is an important step towards bridging the digital divide and ensuring that millions more people can reap the benefits of mobile connectivity.”

In the coming months, the GSMA will engage with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and technology companies to consult on the proposed minimum requirements and gain support for affordable 4G devices. At the same time, the mobile industry is calling on governments across Africa to act swiftly to remove taxes on entry-level smartphones priced below $100.

In some countries, VAT and import duties can increase device prices by more than 30 per cent, directly raising costs for citizens and hindering digital inclusion efforts.

Earlier this year, South Africa introduced tax reforms on entry-level smartphones – a policy the industry urges other African governments to replicate to build momentum for digital transformation.

Mobile Internet connectivity underpins access to education, healthcare, financial services and e-commerce, and is linked to poverty reduction and higher wellbeing. Closing the usage gap in low- and middle-income countries between 2023 and 2030 could generate $3.5 trillion in additional GDP.

The GSMA and the Handset Affordability Coalition believe that access to affordable smartphones is the foundation of this opportunity. Noting that financing schemes and subsidies are key to improving handset and mobile Internet adoption, GSMA Consumer Survey data showed that affordability of Internet-enabled handsets, literacy and digital skills remain the top barriers to mobile Internet adoption.

In SSA, handset affordability is consistently cited as the leading barrier to mobile Internet adoption.
A recent GSMA study found that improving affordability – measured as the device price relative to monthly income – could increase global mobile Internet connectivity by up to 27 percentage points if devices were priced at $20, with affordability thresholds of 20 per cent of average monthly income. This would represent more than 2.2 billion people worldwide. Achieving these price targets involves alternative mechanisms for consumers, such as financing or subsidies.