Eyes on Africa:

Mobile Web use surges in Africa according to Opera's latest State of the Mobile Web report

Fast facts
- The use of Opera Mini in Africa increased by 180 percent from January 2008 - September 2008
- Globally, Opera Mini was used by 19 million people in September 2008, a 341 percent increase from September 2007
- Opera Mini users accessed 4.5 billion pages in September 2008, a 420 percent increase from September 2007
- In September, Opera Mini’s 19 million users generated more than 65.2 million MB of data for operators worldwide
- Egypt displaces Germany in the top 10 countries for Opera Mini usage

Report findings
Opera Software uncovers exponential growth in Africa’s mobile Web usage in its latest State of the Mobile Web report. Published today at http://www.opera.com/mobile_report/, this September 2008 study focuses on the African continent, where Web browsing on the mobile phone far exceeds traditional desktop-computer surfing.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Africa’s mobile industry is expanding at nearly double the global rate. Personal computer penetration remains low across the continent, which results in an increasing number of Africans turning to their mobile phones to get online.

As of September 2008, Egypt has preempted Germany as the world’s tenth largest user of the Opera Mini browser for mobile phones. South Africa remains firmly among the top 10 international users, currently ranked sixth. Overall, Africa experienced a usage surge of 180 percent over the past nine months.

Opera Mini provides a readily available and affordable means of getting online, as there are low barriers to adoption. Opera maintains its mission to provide Internet for all, whether you live in Africa or Antarctica.

Supporting quote
"Month after month we have witnessed our usage numbers in Africa skyrocket," says Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. "This tells us that change is underway, and more people now have the ability to access the Internet from locations that were previously unthinkable. Opera Mini has a global entourage of 19 million strong. These people accessed 4.5 billion Web pages in September alone. It’s exciting to see a rise in Opera Mini use in countries like Egypt, where accessing sites such as Facebook and Google from their mobile phone can now be a part of Egyptians’ daily lives."

About Opera Software ASA
Opera Software ASA has redefined Web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera's cross-platform Web browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com/.