Fibre to the home and fibre to the business (FTTH/FTTB) are continuing to make inroads into African markets, as indicated by recent announcements from operator Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM) and pan-African full service network company Paratus in Botswana.

Zambia is aiming for 100% national network coverage by the end of 2024 with the help of the country’s Universal Access and Services Fund and money raised from the sale of spectrum.

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband provider Starlink has been licensed to operate in Haiti – and applied for a permit in Tanzania.

The Somali National Communications Authority (NCA) issued Hormuud Telecom with the country’s first spectrum licence closing its vetting processing which began earlier this year, a move to promote open markets, competition, and investment in the telecoms sector. 

It appears African operators no longer have the fintech market all to themselves. In fact NCBA Group, a Kenya-headquartered financial services conglomerate, recently announced that is planning to work with partners to bring its mobile phone banking service M-Shwari to Ghana, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Africa Data Centres, Africa's largest network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities, has announced that it is building its first data centre in Rwanda.

Liquid Intelligent Technologies has launched operations in Nigeria, delivering high-speed connectivity, cloud and cyber security services to the market.

A report from Analysys Mason commissioned by Ericsson highlighted the potential economic, consumer and environmental benefits from 5G connectivity in 15 emerging markets, stating these countries could see GDP growth between 0.3% and 0.46% through 2035.

Vodacom Congo subsidiary Vodacash is launching its new service M-Pesa Rallonge in the DRC, granting mobile banking customers access to financial assistance from their cell phones.

Pan-African payments technology company Cellulant is in the news again, this time thanks to a partnership with B2C e-commerce platform Copia focused on the Kenyan market.

Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) has selected several of Infovista’s products for next-generation 4G and 5G mobile network planning, testing, optimisation and benchmarking.

OneWeb, a global communications network powered by a constellation of 648 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, and telco solutions and services provider Q-KON Africa, have signed a five-year agreement to distribute low earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity services in Africa.

Africa-focused private investment firm Helios Investment Partners has announced plans for two landmark investments: the acquisitions of majority stakes in Maroc Datacenter (MDC), a carrier neutral data centre in Morocco, and in IXAfrica, a leading developer and operator of hyperscale-ready data centres in Kenya.

Safaricom Ethiopia has hit what it describes as “a key milestone in operations” as it establishes its network across Ethiopia. It now claims it has registered one million active customers on its network.

Pan-African payments provider Cellulant is back in the news again, this time thanks to  a financial services partnership with micro, small and medium-enterprise (MSME)-focused B2B digital platform Solv Kenya.

Burkina Faso’s regulator ARCEP has warned all three of the country’s major operators that they are failing to uphold the quality of service (QoS) standards stipulated by their licences.

The Ethiopian government opened up for international investors to acquire a 40% stake in state-owned operator Ethio telecom, a move seemingly to keep the provider competitive against new player Safaricom, while also touting a third telecoms licence.

Ghana’s Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MoCD) has said that all unregistered SIM cards will be deactivated at the end of this month, an extension to the previously announced deadline of the end of October.

An ongoing dispute between South Africa’s Vodacom Group and the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) has been resolved by the Lesotho High Court.

The Government of Senegal, through the country’s Ministry of the Interior, has awarded Motorola Solutions a contract to deploy a nationwide secure and resilient communications ASTRO P25 radio network to modernize public safety communications in Senegal.

South African operator Vodacom has registered an H1 drop in both operating profit and net profit which it has attributed to losses from its start-up business in Ethiopia and higher finance costs.

Orange Botswana has become the first Orange affiliate to launch 5G, covering 30% of the population including greater Gaborone and Francistown. Other cities will follow in early 2023.

Nigeria’s less well-served areas are set to benefit from a new deal bringing together satcoms and broadband.

South Sudan detailed its plan on developing an infrastructure backbone to overcome connectivity challenges associated with being a landlocked nation and become a central hub for communications in eastern Africa.

Recent announcements in Cameroon and Kenya have underlined the importance to African communications of supporting – and being seen to support – sustainable approaches to energy and design.

Orange Côte d’Ivoire has announced a partnership with Vanu to provide connectivity in rural areas of the country.

Telecom Namibia is partnering with OMDis Town Transformation Agency for a new fibre deployment in the formerly privately-owned diamond mining town of Oranjemund.