South Sudan Telecom MNO Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

South Sudan Telecom MNO Market Trends and Insights

Rapid Rollout of 3G/4G Coverage Across Major Urban Corridors

Mobile broadband coverage expanded by 7 percentage points during 2024, helped by MTN’s addition of 1,556 4G sites across its African footprint. Those investments underpin South Sudan’s transition from voice to data revenue models, with traffic across MTN markets rising 35.7% year-on-year. Concentrating sites in high-density corridors maximises near-term revenue and provides a platform for future 5G upgrades once spectrum is released. Urban-first deployment, however, widens the urban-rural divide that public connectivity programmes are trying to close through subsidised rollout and rural USO funds.

Growing Mobile-Money Adoption Boosting Data Usage

Mobile money contributed USD 150 billion to Sub-Saharan African GDP between 2013 and 2022. MTN Fintech’s February 2025 launch of a school-fees payment service illustrates how financial inclusion tools stimulate recurring data usage by embedding connectivity in daily transactions. Zain’s renegotiated licensing prepares it for similar gains, especially in counties where formal banking is scarce. Because each transaction requires authentication, balance checks, and messaging, mobile finances create a self-reinforcing cycle: more transactions produce more data sessions, thereby justifying additional network investment and raising ARPU.^{[2]GSMA, “Connectivity for Refugees in South Sudan,” GSMA, gsma.com}

Government Spectrum Releases & Regulatory Reforms

The National Communication Authority is finalising new allocation rules to harmonise spectrum with International Telecommunication Union guidelines. Clear and affordable spectrum pricing lowers the cost of capital for operators and allows long-term planning for 5G. Stable policy environments also attract foreign direct investment in backhaul and data-centre assets, complementing ongoing regional roaming and wholesale arrangements for the South Sudan telecom market.

Rising Enterprise Digitisation Demand for IoT Connectivity

Enterprise transformation programmes lift demand for M2M and sensor-based solutions. An IOSR study of South Sudanese SMEs found a 0.983 correlation between digital communication adoption and on-time project completion, underscoring tangible productivity gains. Zain’s M2M-ready SIM modules and MTN’s enterprise VPN offers illustrate evolving B2B portfolios geared toward agriculture, logistics, and energy. Enterprise traffic delivers higher margins and lower churn, generating a second growth vector for the South Sudan telecom market.

Chronic Power-Grid Deficits Inflating Network OPEX

Only 2% of South Sudanese households have grid electricity, forcing operators to rely on diesel generators that elevate site OPEX. A USD 20 million programme funded by the Energy Inclusion Facility and Finnfund will solarise towers, targeting 99.97% uptime while cutting fuel costs. Clear Blue Technologies is deploying hybrid solar solutions that show payback periods under four years, offering a blueprint for sustainable rural coverage.^{[3]Clear Blue Technologies, “Solar Power for South Sudan Telecom Sites,” Clear Blue Technologies, clearbluetechnologies.com}

Political Instability Deterring FDI

Recurring security flare-ups raise insurance, logistics, and currency-hedging costs, as evidenced by MTN South Sudan’s 12.3% revenue drop in FY 2023. The IMF forecasts continued fiscal strain, potentially restricting public-sector support for ICT investments. Still, regional projects such as the Ethiopia–South Sudan highway could foster trade and improve macro-stability if implemented on schedule.

Segment Analysis

By Service Type: Data Services Drive Revenue Transformation

Data services contributed 32.24% of total 2024 revenue as smartphone uptake accelerated and enterprises digitised workflows. Mobile data held 70.21% of the segment, reinforcing the role of handheld devices in broadening access. MTN’s open-market smartphone bundle, launched March 2025, gives new users 1 GB of monthly data for six months, improving affordability and cementing digital habits. Fixed data remains limited by fibre backhaul gaps, yet its 10.10% CAGR through 2030 signals upside once cross-border routes reach secondary cities. Voice still matters—wireless voice retained 67.45% market share—but its 8.86% CAGR trails the projected 10.00% rise in IoT traffic.

IoT is the fastest-growing niche, benefiting from agriculture-monitoring pilots and asset-tracking projects supported by Zain’s M2M service. The GSMA notes that refugees and displaced people keep phones where coverage exists, proving latent demand for sensor-enabled humanitarian and supply-chain applications. OTT messaging and emerging pay-TV video represent ancillary revenue paths that operators can bundle with data plans to lift ARPU in the South Sudan telecom market.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By End User: Consumer Dominance with Enterprise Acceleration

Consumer accounts generated 71.24% of 2024 revenue, mirroring the 4.47 million mobile connections primarily used for personal communications. Prepaid dominates, but data-heavy services and fintech apps are raising monthly spend levels in urban counties. The South Sudan telecom market size for consumer services is slated to widen alongside device subsidies and the rollout of renewable tower power systems that lower operating costs and enable rural expansion.

Enterprise revenue is smaller yet crucial; its 10.40% CAGR reflects digitisation across NGOs, agribusinesses, and construction firms. High correlation between digital-tool usage and project success boosts willingness to pay for dedicated bandwidth, MPLS VPN, and IoT services. Operators are strengthening account-management teams and offering service-level agreements to secure long-term contracts, protecting margins and diversifying the revenue base within the South Sudan telecom industry.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

Urban corridors around Juba, Wau, and Malakal host the bulk of radio-access infrastructure. These zones deliver the highest ARPU, driven by dense populations and relatively reliable power. MTN and Zain concentrate 4G base stations here, achieving median download speeds above 20 Mbps, while Digitel targets underserved neighbourhoods to claw share. The South Sudan telecom market size attributable to urban counties is projected to expand at 8.5% CAGR through 2030, supported by rising smartphone penetration and fintech adoption.

Secondary towns along the Ethiopia and Kenya fibre spurs are seeing falling wholesale bandwidth prices, enabling ISPs to offer 15% cheaper fixed-wireless packages. A direct fibre link completed in 2020 continues to lower IP transit costs, and the USD 738 million Ethiopia-South Sudan highway will facilitate additional duct-sharing opportunities. Cross-border agreements within the East African Community streamline roaming and spectrum harmonisation, easing expansion barriers for operators.

Rural coverage remains sparse, hampered by power shortages, security issues, and limited income. But the USD 20 million solar tower programme, coupled with Starlink’s entry as a low-earth-orbit provider, improves the economics of reaching isolated communities. Renewable energy cuts generator refuelling trips, while low-orbit backhaul can bridge microwave gaps, albeit at Mbps rates below urban averages. Community-network pilots provide another template for affordable rural voice and data, suggesting gradual convergence in service availability across the South Sudan telecom market.