Universal service funds in Africa

Policy reforms to enhance effectiveness

Governments around the world have introduced policies to incentivise internet infrastructure rollout in underserved locations and stimulate demand for services among consumers. In Africa, 51 of the 54 countries in the region have introduced or are in the process of introducing the universal service fund (USF) mechanism as a means to deploy mobile broadband infrastructure in commercially unviable areas.

To understand the performance of USFs in Africa, the GSMA conducted an extensive study. This entailed a survey of stakeholders, including USF authorities, government ministries and service providers from 40 countries across the region. Results from the study highlight structural and operational challenges requiring urgent attention from policymakers and USF authorities.