In recent years, the number of subscribers to communications services in the country has been growing at a surprising pace, without forgetting that, recently Internet users in Angola recorded a “significant increase” in 2022.
In just one year, the mobile communications market grew by 7,3 million subscribers, a growth that "matches" the start of Africell's operations in Angola in April last year. Unitel continues to dominate, gaining almost 3 million users, while Movicel is losing more and more momentum.
Numbers since 2021…
O The mobile communications sector grew 49% between the third quarter of 2021 and the same period of 2022, going from 14,8 million mobile phone users to 22,1 million, a growth that accelerated with the arrival of Africell, which has currently with 4,6 million customers. According to Expansion calculations based on the most recent data from the Angolan Institute of Communications (INACOM), for the third quarter of 2022, there was an increase of 7,3 million subscribers when compared to data for the same period of 2021, when still in a two-way market, Unitel held a 90% market share, while Movicel had 10%, numbers that changed “radically” with the entry of Africell into the market in April 2022.
Thus, Unitel has 73% of the mobile communications “pie”, equivalent to around 16,2 million subscribers, while Movicel lost second place to Africell, which has 21% of customers, that is, 4,6 millions. Movicel, which has lost 1,2 million customers since 2019, who complain about network problems, had a market share of around 2022% in the third quarter of 6.
The Technology and Information (IT) and Cyber Security consultant, Ivo Martins, considers that the increase in competition in a sector such as telecommunications is always positive. “I hope that these immediate positive impacts result in healthy and lasting competition between the various operators”, he said, adding that, in this way, more and better services and products are offered to customers, greater coverage at national level, more competitive prices and more choice option. Impacts that, by increasing connectivity between people, businesses and institutions, lead to the creation of new economic opportunities.
According to him, it is estimated that the contribution of the “Internet economy” to the Angolan GDP could reach 3,91% in 2050 (Report “Africa iGDP Forecast, Africa”). “A strong and competitive telecommunications sector is one of the cornerstones for the good development of an economy, as it results in the creation of new businesses, new jobs, more effectiveness and efficiency in companies and more generation of wealth and prosperity for citizens”, pointed out.
