Africa is the hardest region to shop for an e SIM, because price and coverage swing hard from one border to the next. HelloRoam sells eSIMs in 29 African destinations, and the spread inside that catalogue is wide: Tunisia runs $1.02/GB while Madagascar runs $7.37/GB. This page compares three providers on published numbers only, meaning real per-GB rates, the destinations each regional plan reaches, and which markets carry a 5G partner.
Seven of the 29 African destinations run on Airtel alone, and five of those price at exactly $4.50/GB. Where a rival wins, the page says so.
Which providers work best in Africa?
| Rank | Provider | Best For | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | helloroam | Lowest per-GB rates in 29 African markets | HelloRoam rates 4.9/5, the highest score of any provider on this page, and covers 29 African destinations. Tunisia runs $1.02/GB and South Africa $1.56/GB. Top-up works on 1,124 of its 1,129 plans, hotspot sharing is on all 1,129, and an unactivated eSIM stays refundable for 180 days. Support answers in 63 languages. |
| #2 | airalo | The widest catalogue at 200 destinations | Airalo rates 4.5/5 and lists 200 destinations, 15 more than HelloRoam, so it reaches African countries the cheaper catalogue does not sell at all. Its 5 GB country plans run $12.50 in South Africa, $23 in Egypt, $28 in Morocco and $32 in Kenya. Refunds close after 14 days, and support covers 12 languages. |
| #3 | holafly | Unlimited data in African cities | Holafly rates 4.2/5 across 160 destinations and sells unlimited data only, from $19 for 5 days. In Egypt, South Africa, Kenya and Senegal that drops to $6.97 for 5 days. There is no small tier, so a light user pays for capacity they never touch, and hotspot sharing is not enabled on every plan. |
Countries in Africa
What HelloRoam's 29-country Africa plan reaches
The Africa regional plan lists 29 destinations, and the list is public: Burkina Faso, Liberia, Tanzania, Seychelles, Sudan, Uganda, Morocco, Botswana, Madagascar, Gabon, Kenya, Senegal, Mali, DR Congo, Ghana, Egypt, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Eswatini, Malawi, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, Reunion, Zambia, Niger, Nigeria and Tunisia. That is 29 of Africa's 54 countries, so slightly more than half the continent.
The 25 African countries outside that list are not a footnote. Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Cameroon and Ethiopia are all absent. Airalo lists 200 destinations against 185, and several of those extra 15 are African, so a route that crosses one of them needs a second provider or a local SIM on arrival.
That is the clearest single reason to buy Airalo for an Africa trip.
Across those 29 destinations the plan uses 13 partner operators. Airtel appears in 9 of the 29 and is the sole partner in 7 of them. Five of those seven, Seychelles, Gabon, Malawi, Zambia and Niger, price at exactly $4.50/GB, because they share one wholesale agreement rather than five.
Orange appears in 11 markets counting Orange Morocco, Vodacom in 3, and the rest are single-market deals with Ooredoo, Safaricom, MTN, Glo, Tigo, Zain, IAM and AirtelTigo.
Only 7 of the 29 carry a 5G partner: Uganda, Morocco, DR Congo, Egypt, South Africa, Reunion and Tunisia. The remaining 22 are 4G purchases. Across the whole catalogue 5G runs in 93 of 185 destinations, so Africa sits well below the company average on radio generation.
Africa eSIM coverage outside the cities
An e-sim buys a contract with a local operator. It does not build towers, so the honest position on rural Africa is that the network decides, not the brand you picked.
South Africa is the strongest case. Vodacom carries the whole country, including the main Kruger camps and the length of the Garden Route, and HelloRoam prices South Africa at $1.56/GB across 6 plans. Morocco is second, because it is one of only 3 African destinations in this catalogue with two named partner operators, Orange Morocco and IAM, which is what keeps Atlas and desert routes usable.
East African game reserves are where expectations break. Kenya and Tanzania both sit on 4G only, and the Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire have no meaningful cellular service at any price. Download offline maps in the last town.
Treat any signal inside a reserve as a bonus.
West Africa is thin and expensive at the same time. Nigeria runs on a single partner, Glo, at $3.87/GB, and Senegal runs on Tigo at $5.75/GB. One partner operator means one footprint, with no fallback network where that operator has a gap.
The practical rule is to buy for the city days. A 5 GB plan covers navigation, messaging and uploads for a two-week trip in most African markets, and top-up works on 1,124 of the 1,129 plans if you run short.
Africa eSIM prices, country by country
Every figure below comes from the live catalogue, not an estimate. Tunisia is the floor at $1.02/GB, with 1 GB at $2.59 and 10 GB at $14.47. South Africa follows at $1.56/GB, with 1 GB at $2.87 and 10 GB at $18.20.
Morocco is $1.88/GB, Tanzania $2.17/GB, Ghana and Egypt $2.20/GB, and Kenya $2.34/GB.
The middle of the table is dominated by one number. Five Airtel markets, Seychelles, Gabon, Malawi, Zambia and Niger, price at exactly $4.50/GB, because they share one wholesale agreement rather than five separate ones.
Above them sit Senegal at $5.75/GB, Ivory Coast at $6.04/GB, Madagascar at $7.37/GB and Sudan at $7.68/GB. Nigeria sits at $3.87/GB. For scale, HelloRoam's median rate across all 185 destinations is $2.20/GB, and its cheapest market anywhere is Thailand at $0.29/GB.
Africa runs above that median in 22 of its 29 destinations.
Airalo prices per destination instead: $12.50 for 5 GB in South Africa, $23 for 5 GB in Egypt, $28 for 5 GB in Morocco, $30 for 5 GB in Nigeria and $32 for 5 GB in Kenya. Holafly sells unlimited data at $6.97 for 5 days in Egypt, South Africa, Kenya and Senegal.
One structural note: none of these plans carry voice or SMS. All 1,129 plans in the catalogue are data only, so a local phone number still means a physical SIM bought on arrival.
Frequently asked questions
Which eSIM provider is best across Africa's 29 covered countries?
HelloRoam rates 4.9/5, the highest overall score in this comparison, and covers 29 African destinations at rates from $1.02/GB in Tunisia. Airalo rates 4.5/5 but lists 200 destinations against 185, so it reaches African countries the cheaper catalogue does not sell. Pick on price or on reach.
Does eSIM work in all African countries?
No. The regional plan covers 29 of Africa's 54 countries, so 25 are not covered at all. Ethiopia is the clearest gap, because Ethio Telecom holds a state monopoly and does not wholesale to resellers. Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Rwanda also sit outside the 29-country list and need a local SIM.
How much does an eSIM for Africa cost?
Rates run from $1.02/GB in Tunisia to $7.37/GB in Madagascar. South Africa is $1.56/GB with 1 GB at $2.87. Kenya is $2.34/GB with 1 GB at $3.63. Five Airtel markets all sit at $4.50/GB. The median rate across all 185 HelloRoam destinations worldwide is $2.20/GB, so Africa reads expensive against the global book.
Will my eSIM work on safari?
Inside the major reserves, no. The Serengeti, Maasai Mara, Ngorongoro and Tarangire have no usable cellular service, and Kenya and Tanzania both run 4G only with no 5G partner. Kruger has service at the main camps through Vodacom. Download offline maps in the last town and treat signal in a park as a bonus.
Which carriers do African eSIMs connect to?
The Africa plan uses 13 partner operators across 29 destinations. Airtel is the sole partner in 7 of them, Orange appears in 11 counting Orange Morocco, and Vodacom in 3. Single-market partners include Ooredoo in Tunisia, Safaricom in Kenya, Glo in Nigeria, AirtelTigo in Ghana, Tigo in Senegal and Zain in Sudan.
Can I use one eSIM for a multi-country Africa trip?
Yes. The Africa regional plan covers 29 countries on one profile, and Airalo sells a regional Africa bundle as well. A Kenya and Tanzania trip works on either. Check your route against the 29-country list first, because 25 African countries fall outside it and need a second plan or a local SIM.
Is 5G available on African eSIM plans?
Only in 7 of the 29 African destinations on sale: Uganda, Morocco, DR Congo, Egypt, South Africa, Reunion and Tunisia. The other 22 are 4G purchases. Across the whole catalogue 5G runs in 93 of 185 destinations, so Africa sits well below the global average and most of the continent stays on 4G.
Can I share my eSIM data as a hotspot in Africa?
Yes. Hotspot sharing is enabled on all 1,129 plans in the catalogue, including every African destination, so one plan covers a phone and a laptop. Holafly does not enable hotspot use on every plan, which matters if you buy its $6.97 for 5 days unlimited product in Egypt or Kenya expecting to tether a second device.
Which African countries have the lowest eSIM rates?
Tunisia at $1.02/GB, South Africa at $1.56/GB and Morocco at $1.88/GB are the 3 lowest rates in the 29-country African catalogue. All 3 carry a 5G partner, which only 7 of the 29 do. South Africa has the deepest footprint through Vodacom, and Morocco is one of only 3 African destinations with two partner operators.