Analyst company Dell’Oro Group predicted the emerging AI Systems Security (AISS) market will grow from zero to US$8 billion by 2030 as enterprises shift to AI technology across their operations.

The EllaLink submarine cable system and Mauritania have announced the successful landing of a new subsea cable in Nouadhibou, giving the country a second direct, diverse and secure connection to European and international digital hubs.

Space solutions company SES has announced that it will provide service on its high-capacity medium-Earth orbit (MEO) satellite network O3b mPOWER to Petrobras, the Brazilian state-owned oil company, to connect multiple new floating production, storage and offloading systems (FPSOs).

Satellite operator Speedcast's Brazilian operation, SC CapRock, says it has developed and implemented a hybrid solution for mining company Mineração Taboca to provide more resilient connectivity for its operations in a remote area in the Amazon.

Burundi’s state-owned telco Onatel has signed a US$5.9 million contract with PAFEN Burundi to deploy 4G in underserved rural communities.

Algerian telco Djezzy has signed a strategic partnership deal with startup accelerator Algeria Venture and tech startup Taubyte to launch a full-stack AI development workspace for startups, developers, young talent and project leaders.

The continuing drive to use smart data analytics to improve network performance has again been in the news, this time thanks to telecommunications and ICT provider Ooredoo Qatar, which has announced the launch of a service called Smart Wi-Fi Analytics.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced on Sunday it will back two new initiatives priced at US$70 billion total to connect power grids, expand cross-border electricity trade and improve broadband access across Asia and the Pacific.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) said on Thursday that it will take several months to fully restore services for its Middle East (UAE) Region (ME-CENTRAL-1) after its data centres in the UAE and Bahrain sustained damage due to the war between the US, Israel and Iran.

Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda agreed on Thursday to move forward with a plan to launch a regional satellite to boost connectivity in East Africa’s northern corridor.

Sierra Leone is ramping up efforts to strengthen digital infrastructure through satellite-enabled solutions, as part of a wider strategy to expand nationwide connectivity.

MTN Nigeria has secured shareholder approval to sell its stakes in fintech subsidiaries MoMo Payment Service Bank and Yellow Digital Financial Services to parent company MTN Group.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is considering doubling its initial loan to tower company Eastcastle Telecom to $60 million, backing the firm’s expansion in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE),  the Costa Rican government-run electricity and telecommunications services provider, has awarded a contract relating to its 5G network to tech giant Ericsson.

Kenyan opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka has petitioned the High Court seeking to block the government’s proposed sale of its 15% stake in Safaricom to Vodacom, arguing that proper legal and constitutional procedures have not been followed.

Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) has reportedly launched Afghanistan’s first trial of 5G in Kabul, six weeks after the telco began testing the technology.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council has reportedly approved a temporary scheme for businesses to access the global internet with fewer restrictions. The authorities had imposed a blackout since the start of the war against the US and Israel.

Independent infrastructure investment manager I Squared Capital has announced that it has agreed to acquire Elea Data Centres, one of the largest carrier-neutral data centre platforms in Brazil.

Airtel Africa is lining up a potentially sizeable IPO of its mobile money business, with the deal expected to raise between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter.

Digicel has secured a reduction in the interest rate on a major portion of its debt, in a move that signals growing lender confidence in the operator’s turnaround.

MTN Group has appointed former Deloitte executive Lwazi Bam as its new Group Chief Risk Officer, effective 1 June.

Saudi Arabian telco Zain KSA announced on Sunday its digital platform Yaqoot is partnering with Huawei to upgrade Yaqoot’s BSS to boost operational efficiency and make its digital services more competitive.

Pan-African infrastructure and services group Axian Telecom announced on Monday it has signed a partnership deal with Oracle to unify its ERP across its portfolio.

Togo, Benin and Senegal have launched free roaming services. The launch, announced late last week, marks the implementation of two bilateral agreements — one between Togo and Senegal, the other between Senegal and Benin — signed on the sidelines of the ARTAO 23rd annual general assembly.

State-run operator Telecel Zimbabwe is looking for an investor willing not only to take on a very big debt burden but also to put a lot of fresh capital into reviving the company.

Mozambique’s Communications Regulatory Authority (INCM) has kicked off a national roaming service pilot in a bid to equalise mobile coverage for users.

Eutelsat announced on Thursday it has signed a new multi-year agreement with MTN Côte d’Ivoire to provide satellite broadband services across the country using Eutelsat’s KONNECT high-throughput satellite.

Telecom Namibia and Angola Telecom announced on Thursday they have signed an MoU and commercial terms agreement (CTA) to boost regional and international subsea cable connectivity along Southern Africa’s west coast.

African data sovereignty is again in the news. UniCloud Africa (UCA), a pan-African sovereign cloud platform, and data centre company Open Access Data Centres (OADC), have announced a strategic partnership to, as they put it, accelerate Africa’s digital transformation and independence.

Digital transformation is a key phrase in many modern telecoms initiatives – and is clearly a driver for two recent strategic partnerships involving major North African operators.

Veon Group announced on Wednesday that its Bangladesh subsidiary Banglalink has signed an agreement with Starlink Mobile to integrate its Direct to Cell (D2C) satellite connectivity in remote areas with Banglalink’s terrestrial coverage.

Two recent announcements, from smart devices provider Honor and smart mobility specialist Valeo, have underlined the strategic important of Egypt to Middle Eastern and African ITC by growing their presence in the country.