MOBILE network operators (MNOs) rode on the back of surging demand for ‘data-hungry applications’ such as Netflix, YouTube and TikTok to post strong revenue growth during the third quarter of 2025, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has said.
According to Potraz’s latest third-quarter 2025 report, industry revenues rose by 8,35 percent to ZiG7,27 billion, up from ZiG6,71 billion recorded in the same period last year, underscoring the growing importance of internet and data services in the sector.
“Mobile network operators (MNOs) experienced robust revenue growth of 8,35% from ZiG6,71 billion to record ZiG7,27 billion in the third quarter of 2025,” Potraz said.
The regulator noted, however, that the revenue gains were accompanied by a sharp increase in operating costs, which rose by 19,71 percent.
“On the other hand, aggregate operating costs increased substantially by 19,71% from ZiG3,48 billion incurred in the second quarter to ZiG4,16 billion…,” the report said.
Despite rising costs, data services continued to cement their position as the single largest revenue stream for mobile operators.
“As shown above, internet/data services continued to become the biggest revenue contributor for the MNOs to the tune of 49,64% in the quarter under review,” Potraz said.
The authority attributed this growth to changing consumer behaviour and increased uptake of bandwidth-intensive digital platforms.
“This is attributed to the growing use of data-hungry applications such as Netflix, YouTube, and TikTok, among others.”
The surge in data usage was reflected in a significant increase in internet traffic across all networks. MNOs collectively recorded a quarter-on-quarter jump of 10,72 percent in internet/data traffic, which rose to 144,09 petabytes (PB) from 130,14 PB.
“During the quarter under review, all mobile operators recorded internet/data traffic growths of more than 10%,” Potraz said.
The latest figures underscore the central role of mobile data in driving growth in Zimbabwe’s telecommunications sector, as consumers increasingly rely on digital platforms for entertainment, communication and information.-herld
