Africa eSIM

Good to know in Africa

• Local SIMs

  ID for every SIM

  Nearly every African country requires proof of identity to register a SIM, according to GSMA research. On a multi-country trip, buying local SIMs means fresh paperwork at each border: your passport every time, and in some countries fingerprints or a photo taken at the counter as well.

• Paying

  Money moves by phone

  Across much of the continent people pay and send money from their phones, through wallets such as M-Pesa, Orange Money and Wave. These sit on a local number: Safaricom's M-Pesa terms, for instance, require an M-Pesa-enabled SIM card and, for foreign nationals, a passport. Carry a card or some cash as your backup.

• Coverage

  Off the grid quickly

  Africa has the world's largest mobile broadband coverage gap, and the ITU finds it falls hardest on rural areas. On long drives, in national parks and in desert country, expect stretches with no data at all, so download maps, park information and tickets while you're still in town.

• Internet access

  Networks can switch off

  In some countries the authorities have cut mobile service at short notice. UK travel advice for Nigeria notes operators have been ordered to suspend mobile networks and Wi-Fi with very little notice, and the advice for Ethiopia says networks may be closed with no notice. Keep offline copies of key bookings and contacts.