🔄 Last update on August 1st, 2025
Expanding Access to Education: Telcos Hold the Key
With the world’s largest captive audience, telcos play a fundamental role in unlocking digital learning for millions. As smartphone adoption and mobile connectivity accelerate across Africa, telcos are in a powerful position to remove access barriers and bring education to remote and underserved communities. In fact, 786.8 million smartphone subscriptions in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2029 according to Statista, what gives us an idea of the dimensions of the market.
Africa is expected to see steady growth in internet usage between 2024 and 2029, with an estimated 337.3 million new users joining the online world—a 51.79% increase over five years. By 2029, the total number of internet users across the continent is projected to hit 1.1 billion, marking fifteen consecutive years of growth. Despite this upward trend, internet penetration in Africa remains below the global average—standing at 43%, compared to around 68% worldwide, so there is still room for growth (Statista).
This expanding connectivity creates the foundation for scalable, inclusive educational platforms. Telcos, with their infrastructure and deep consumer relationships, are essential to distributing learning content widely—turning mobile devices into learning hubs and creating opportunity at scale.
Strategic Partnerships: Fueling Scalable Learning Solutions
Collaboration is no longer optional—it’s critical. To meet rising demand for accessible education, telcos are increasingly partnering with digital learning platforms and content merchants.
Examples like Busuu and YouScribe demonstrate how these partnerships can flourish:
- Busuu provides mobile-friendly language learning programs, made accessible through telco integrations and Alternative Payment Methods (APMs), especially in countries like Morocco and Burkina Faso.
- YouScribe delivers a growing digital library that supports local content and literacy initiatives across Ivory Coast and South Africa.
By bundling educational platforms with telco services—through offers, promotions, or subscription bundles—telcos not only boost ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) but also drive digital literacy and long-term loyalty.
Direct Carrier Billing: A Catalyst for Inclusion
In a continent where access to traditional financial tools is limited, Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) stands out as a transformative enabler of digital learning. With DCB, users can pay for educational content directly through their mobile phone bill—no need for a bank account or credit card.
This shift is particularly vital for unbanked populations and younger demographics. By supporting APMs like DCB or Mobile Money, telcos can open doors to high-quality education for millions—supporting social impact while creating new revenue streams.
According to the World Bank, in Sub-Saharan Africa, only 3% of the population has access to a credit card, highlighting the limited penetration of traditional banking services. Meanwhile, Direct Carrier Billing is experiencing rapid growth in the Africa-Middle East region, emerging as one of the fastest-growing areas in 2025, with $2.6 billion of total end-user spend, as stated by Juniper Research’s Direct Carrier Billing report.
Enabling a Sustainable Digital Education Ecosystem
As demand for online learning accelerates, telcos have an opportunity—and a responsibility—to help shape a more inclusive digital future. Investing in education is not only socially impactful, but it also strengthens the broader digital ecosystem, creating more engaged users and long-term value.
To sustain this growth, the support of:
- Progressive regulation
- Cross-industry collaboration
- Focused investment in educational tech
…will be essential.
Digital education has the potential to fuel Africa’s socio-economic development. Telcos that lead now will not only help close the digital divide, but also gain a strategic edge in one of the continent’s most promising growth sectors.
