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By Ross Moyo
Zimbabwe’s mobile telecommunications market continued its upward trajectory in the first quarter of 2026, with active subscriptions climbing to 17,281,134, a 2.99% increase from 16,778,982 recorded in Q4 2025, according to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ).
The growth pushed the country’s mobile penetration rate to 108.53%, up 1.49 percentage points, meaning there are now more active SIM cards than people in Zimbabwe.
Econet Wireless remained the dominant force, adding 552,193 subscribers for a 4.46% growth to reach 12,926,399 customers. That gives Econet a market share of 74.78%, up 1.05 percentage points quarter-on-quarter.
NetOne was the only operator to lose ground, shedding 1.27% of its base to 4,049,492 subscribers. Its market share fell to 23.43%.
Telecel saw modest growth of 0.65%, ending the quarter with 305,243 subscribers.
Analysts say Econet’s aggressive LTE and 5G expansion, bundled data offers, and brand loyalty continue to drive its dominance. NetOne’s decline is being linked to network quality concerns and customer churn to data-heavy platforms where Econet has better coverage.
POTRAZ noted that despite high penetration, growth opportunities still exist in rural areas and in converting inactive SIMs to active data users.
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