{"version":1,"asset_type":"statistical_series","data_type":"time_series","slug":"za-mobile-subscriptions","url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/za-mobile-subscriptions","html_url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/za-mobile-subscriptions/","title":"South Africa Mobile Cellular Subscriptions (per 100 People) (2024)","description":"South Africa's Mobile Cellular Subscriptions (per 100 People): 179.3 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in 2024, +7.8 YoY.","domain":"demo","category":"Demographics","keywords":["Demographics","World Bank","South Africa","2024"],"publisher":"World Bank","frequency":"Annual","geography":"South Africa","temporal_coverage":"1975/2024","unit":"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants","last_updated":"2026-07-26","last_updated_text":"26 July 2026","data_as_of":"2024","variable_measured":"South Africa Mobile Cellular Subscriptions (per 100 People)","license":"https://apiardata.com/data-license","is_accessible_for_free":true,"sources":[{"name":"World Bank","url":"https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.CEL.SETS.P2?locations=ZA"}],"meta":[{"label":"Frequency","value":"Annual"},{"label":"Coverage","value":"1975–2024"},{"label":"Observations","value":"50"},{"label":"Geography","value":"South Africa"},{"label":"Last updated","value":"26 July 2026"}],"kpis":[{"label":"South Africa (2024)","value":"179.3","unit":"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants","trend":{"direction":"up","value":"+7.8 YoY"}},{"label":"YoY Change","value":"+7.8","unit":"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants"},{"label":"Trend","value":"up","unit":""},{"label":"Series length","value":"50","unit":"years of data"}],"series":[{"key":"value","label":"South Africa Mobile Cellular Subscriptions (per 100 People)"}],"observation_count":50,"observations":[{"period":"1975","value":0},{"period":"1976","value":0},{"period":"1977","value":0},{"period":"1978","value":0},{"period":"1979","value":0},{"period":"1980","value":0},{"period":"1981","value":0},{"period":"1982","value":0},{"period":"1983","value":0},{"period":"1984","value":0},{"period":"1985","value":0},{"period":"1986","value":0},{"period":"1987","value":0},{"period":"1988","value":0},{"period":"1989","value":0.010292566},{"period":"1990","value":0.014243596},{"period":"1991","value":0.017354763},{"period":"1992","value":0.029956355},{"period":"1993","value":0.094061343},{"period":"1994","value":0.785800456},{"period":"1995","value":1.216293771},{"period":"1996","value":2.133823992},{"period":"1997","value":4.054318326},{"period":"1998","value":7.27773689},{"period":"1999","value":11.18955156},{"period":"2000","value":17.6824632903347},{"period":"2001","value":22.6775818427979},{"period":"2002","value":28.5342918067619},{"period":"2003","value":34.762637167057},{"period":"2004","value":42.5360187041727},{"period":"2005","value":68.6197925954101},{"period":"2006","value":79.3267335992398},{"period":"2007","value":83.7149918944889},{"period":"2008","value":88.0374704690533},{"period":"2009","value":89.7686684071896},{"period":"2010","value":96.2325212467793},{"period":"2011","value":120.765642853915},{"period":"2012","value":127.16760060932},{"period":"2013","value":140.576037974212},{"period":"2014","value":142.60448245213},{"period":"2015","value":155.137526067883},{"period":"2016","value":143.92861725374},{"period":"2017","value":153.547950468153},{"period":"2018","value":157.691905248121},{"period":"2019","value":162.73854828041},{"period":"2020","value":158.447269436121},{"period":"2021","value":163.12806305125},{"period":"2022","value":160.728511675754},{"period":"2023","value":171.508619260428},{"period":"2024","value":179.336329840585}],"table":{"columns":[{"key":"year","label":"Year"},{"key":"value","label":"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants"},{"key":"yoyChange","label":"YoY Change"}],"rows":[{"year":"2024","value":"179.3","yoyChange":"+7.8"},{"year":"2023","value":"171.5","yoyChange":"+10.8"},{"year":"2022","value":"160.7","yoyChange":"-2.4"},{"year":"2021","value":"163.1","yoyChange":"+4.7"},{"year":"2020","value":"158.4","yoyChange":"-4.3"},{"year":"2019","value":"162.7","yoyChange":"+5.0"},{"year":"2018","value":"157.7","yoyChange":"+4.2"},{"year":"2017","value":"153.5","yoyChange":"+9.6"},{"year":"2016","value":"143.9","yoyChange":"-11.2"},{"year":"2015","value":"155.1","yoyChange":"+12.5"},{"year":"2014","value":"142.6","yoyChange":"+2.0"},{"year":"2013","value":"140.6","yoyChange":"+13.4"},{"year":"2012","value":"127.2","yoyChange":"+6.4"},{"year":"2011","value":"120.8","yoyChange":"+24.6"},{"year":"2010","value":"96.2","yoyChange":"+6.4"},{"year":"2009","value":"89.8","yoyChange":"+1.8"},{"year":"2008","value":"88.0","yoyChange":"+4.3"},{"year":"2007","value":"83.7","yoyChange":"+4.4"},{"year":"2006","value":"79.3","yoyChange":"+10.7"},{"year":"2005","value":"68.6","yoyChange":"+26.1"}]},"qa":[{"question":"What does this indicator measure?","answer":"This page tracks mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in South Africa from 1990 to present. Mobile penetration is the primary digital access channel in emerging markets and drives mobile commerce, fintech, and digital services adoption. It is published by World Bank and updated annually."},{"question":"How current is this data?","answer":"The most recent observation covers 2024. World Bank typically publishes this series with a lag of several months after the reference period. The series runs 1975–2024 (50 observations)."},{"question":"What is the long-term trend?","answer":"The series peaked at 179.3 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in 2024 and reached its lowest recorded value of 0 in 1988. The latest reading of 179.3 in 2024 represents a change of +7.8."}]}