Accenture’s Managing Director for Communications, Media & Technology Lead Africa, Nitesh Singh (pictured), warned telecom operators they must embrace digital transformation to survive, especially with innovative players like Starlink encroaching on the connectivity market.
Ericsson Vice President Todd Ashton (pictured) believes the spread of 4G across Africa will help create unicorn companies, drawing parallels with Asia, where countries like Indonesia developed such firms through increased connectivity.
Mikko Lavanti, Nokia’s Senior Vice President for the Middle East and Africa, sees significant growth potential for operators in Africa as 5G-powered Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) gains momentum across the continent.
Benin-based broadband provider Isocel Telecom has announced ambitious plans to expand its network to reach up to half a million households, emphasising that fibre is still essential to fill the gaps that mobile connectivity cannot yet address.
State-owned operator Cameroon Telecommunications (Camtel) has signed a mobile network sharing agreement with French operator group Orange to boost service quality and narrow the gap with its larger mobile rivals.
Orange Group Deputy CEO Brelotte Ba (pictured) said the upcoming launch of 4G in the Central African Republic (CAR) next year will complete the 4G rollout across Orange’s African footprint, stating it will be deployed early next year.
Global connectivity provider Angola Cables is reportedly planning to expand into Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to cash in on Africa's growing appetite for digital infrastructure – provided regulators make it easier to roll out that infrastructure.
African ministers highlighted the importance of collaboration with the private sector to drive the technology sector and strengthen economies across the continent, despite criticism from global companies such as Meta regarding over-regulation and taxation by African governments.
Technology group Liquid Intelligent Technologies, and South Africa’s Western Cape Government have announced at the Africa Tech Festival 2024 in Cape Town that they have renewed a partnership to continue expanding connectivity in the province.
Orange Middle East & Africa Deputy CEO Brelotte Ba (pictured, left) highlighted the importance of investing in network resilience following the cable cuts experienced in March, especially as Africa’s demand for connectivity surges with the rise of AI.
