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Tunisia ranks first with an average download speed of 62.6 Mb/s, ahead of Morocco (52.5 Mb/s). These two countries clearly stand out from the rest of the panel. Senegal comes in third with 29.5 Mb/s, followed by Benin (24.5 Mb/s) and South Africa (24.4 Mb/s).

Behind this group, measured speeds are more modest. Ivory Coast records 18.5 Mb/s, ahead of Algeria (17.1 Mb/s) and Burkina Faso (16.9 Mb/s). Egypt reaches 15.5 Mb/s, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo closes the ranking with 12.7 Mb/s.

Download speed has a strong impact on streaming

Download speed directly determines a mobile network’s ability to deliver video content under good conditions. When a user starts a match or a live video, the stream must be received continuously and at a sufficient rate to avoid interruptions. The higher the speed, the faster the initial loading time and the more smoothly playback can be maintained.

Conversely, insufficient speed leads to longer startup times and automatic drops in image quality. These effects are particularly noticeable during live sporting events, where video is consumed in real time and cannot be preloaded in advance.

Download speed also plays a key role in resolution stability. To maintain a sharp image, especially in high definition, the network must be able to absorb usage peaks, often concentrated in the same time slots. When the average available speed is limited or unstable, platforms automatically adapt video quality, to the detriment of the viewing experience.

Overview of viewing quality based on observed speeds

• 60 Mb/s: Smooth 4K on tablet/smartphone
• 30 Mb/s: Smooth Full HD, occasional 4K if coverage is stable
• 15 Mb/s: Full HD possible, very limited 4K

This snapshot of mobile download performance highlights inequalities in access to sports streaming across the continent, at a time when mobile has become the primary gateway to video content for a large share of African fans. This is largely due to the fact that fixed networks are less developed in some countries because of the high infrastructure costs involved, unlike mobile networks, where base stations make it possible to cover certain areas at lower cost, even in the most rural regions.

How to ensure you can watch your matches smoothly?

nPerf provides a tool to test your connection, available on their website, as well as on Android and iOS. Running a test lets you see, among other things, your download speed, which determines your ability to watch your matches without interruptions.