GSMA seeks import duties exemption for smartphones
Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has urged African governments to recognise telecommunications as a core economic pillar and implement specific tax reforms that could dramatically accelerate digital inclusion
Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has urged African governments to recognise telecommunications as a core economic pillar and implement specific tax reforms that could dramatically accelerate digital inclusion across the continent.
Chair of GSMA Africa’s Policy Group, Mr. Daddy Mukadi proposed a two-to-three-year exemption on import duties and taxes for entry-level smartphones priced between $40 and $150 to help bridge the usage gap. He also called for the removal of entry duties on telecommunications equipment for at least three years to support the expansion of network coverage.
“These measures would help deliver inclusive and sustainable digital technology for economic and social progress. They would also support faster connectivity, improved access and the ability to connect more people, businesses and communities to the digital economy,” he said.
Mukadi who is also the Chief Regulatory Officer of Airtel Africa, spoke at the first edition of the États Généraux du Secteur des Postes et Télécommunications in Kinshasa, DRC, an event convened to support the development of a strategic roadmap for the country’s digital and telecommunications sector and attended President Félix Tshisekedi.
He urged government and industry stakeholders to rethink the role of telecommunications in national development, arguing that it should be framed not as a sector specific concern, but as a continent-wide imperative.
“The telecoms sector can no longer be considered merely as a support sector. It is now a core sector. Both are vital, and every other sector, from security and finance to transport and health, depends on digital technology for growth,” Mukadi said.
His remarks come at a critical moment for Africa’s digital economy. According to the GSMA’s Mobile Economy Africa 2025 report, the mobile sector contributed $220 billion to the continent’s economy in 2024. This is equivalent to 7.7per cent of GDP and is projected to reach $270 billion by 2030. Yet despite mobile networks now covering 95per cent of Africa’s population, nearly 75per cent of people across the continent remain offline.
The GSMA identifies this gap as Africa’s greatest connectivity challenge, driven above all by the unaffordability of devices.
Mukadi therefore called for strategic adjustments to public policy, as well as legal and regulatory frameworks, to support wider access to digital services. He said the telecommunications sector should be treated as a foundational pillar of economic development, with stakeholders working together to accelerate investment, expand coverage and close the usage gap across the continent.
The Chief Regulatory Officer of Airtel Africa also highlighted key barriers to digital inclusion, including the affordability of smartphones and the impact of import duties on telecommunications infrastructure.
He added that government and the private sector must work closely to create a regulatory environment that encourages innovation, protects consumer interests and supports long-term investment.
