This entry is part 9 of 10 in the series Annual Review

Welcome to the 9th annual review of telecommunications infrastructure development in Africa. If anything has characterised 2022, it has been a sense of waiting and expectation. Waiting for the two super-sized undersea cables EQUIANO and 2AFRICA to finally go live and waiting for LEO satellite services to finally be available in African countries. 2023 will hopefully see that anticipation fulfilled on both fronts. Perhaps the one big exception to the sense of waiting has been, at long last, the successful auction of mobile spectrum in South Africa. While it has taken 12 years to finally come to fruition, the auction has been a big success by most standards. And with that, here follows my review of the highlights telecom infrastructure development in 2022, containing links to over 390 articles covering a range of African telecom infrastructure development issues.

Undersea Cables

There is a point when amazing things that happen repeatedly become simply banal. You would be forgiven for not being dazzled by new undersea cable announcements for African countries, given the number of cables that now encircle the continent.

However, there is a sea change underway in the world of African undersea cables. In December, the PEACE cable went live in Kenya and Egypt. The PEACE cable has a design capacity of 96 Tbps. That is by far the largest capacity cable to land on the continent. And that distinction will only last a few months as the EQUIANO cable is scheduled to go live in 2023, followed by the 2Africa cable in 2024. These two cables represent a collective design capacity of more than 320 Tbps. Together, these three undersea cables represent more capacity than all the existing undersea cables serving the continent put together. News about these cables in 2022 mostly related to announcements of landing points being established in key locations on the continent. The good news is that this massive increase in capacity is likely to drive down the price of international capacity. The bad news is that it is only like to happen in markets where those cables land. Poor countries that don’t represent a big enough market for these big cables may be further marginalised by ongoing high international capacity costs. It is also unclear how a shift from operator-led undersea cable consortia to cables largely financed by Silicon Valley giants will affect markets.

African Undersea Cable News in 2022

CountryOperatorCablePublication DatePublicationURL
Regional2022-01-01TelegeographyAfrica Telecommunications Map 2022
Egypt2022-02-13Egypt IndependentEgypt plans to extend submarine fiber-optic cable with Greece at a cost of US$60 million
AngolaAngola Cables, CV Telecom2022-03-01Intelligent CIOAngola Cables enters partnership with Cabo Verde Telecom
SeychellesPEACE2022-03-10ITWeb AfricaPEACE cable lands in Seychelles
TogoGoogleEQUIANO2022-03-18Tech NovaTogo Announces Initiative With Google And CSquared With Arrival Of ‘Equiano’
TogoGoogleEQUIANO2022-03-25QuartzHow will Togo maximize the value of Google”s Equiano cable?
KenyaHuaweiPEACE2022-03-29TechCentralR6.2-billion, Huawei-backed subsea cable lands in Africa
KenyaPEACE2022-03-29The Star KenyaKenya gets sixth submarine fibre cable worth Sh44 billion
Nigeria, South AfricaGoogle, LiquidEQUIANO2022-03-29Developing TelecomsLiquid lands Equiano subsea cable capacity in Nigeria and South Africa – Developing Telecoms
Nigeria, South AfricaGoogle, LiquidEQUIANO2022-03-29ITWeb AfricaLiquid lands Equiano capacity in Nigeria and South Africa
KenyaPEACE2022-03-30Business Daily AfricaThe 6th: Cable promises Kenya faster internet, more business
RegionalEASSY2022-03-30Submarine NetworksEASSy Cable System Upgrades to 36Tbps with Ciena GeoMesh Extreme
NigeriaGoogleEQUIANO2022-04-21Premium TimesGoogle’s Equiano subsea cable lands in Nigeria
NigeriaGoogleEQUIANO2022-04-22TechMetro AfricaGoogle”s Equiano cable lands in Nigeria | TechMetro Africa
KenyaLiquidPEACE2022-05-12Developing TelecomsLiquid and PEACE Cable boosting subsea cable capacity in Kenya
KenyaLiquidPEACE2022-05-12The ExchangeLiquid adds subsea capacity cable to improve internet connectivity in Africa
Mauritania2022-05-18Agence EcofinLa Mauritanie se connectera bientôt à un second câble sous-marin de fibre optique pour renforcer l’Internet
PortugalGoogleEQUIANO2022-05-18Altice PortugalAltice Portugal recebe o cabo submarino intercontinental Equiano em Sesimbra
AngolaUnitel2022-06-17Further AfricaAngola Unitel undersea cable reaches Cabinda
RegionalSEACOM2022-06-20BusinessLiveSeacom changes strategy with push into IT services
NamibiaGoogle, ParatusEQUIANO2022-07-01SubTelForumParatus Announces Equiano Has Landed in Swakopmund
NamibiaGoogle, Paratus
EQUIANO2022-07-03TechCentralGoogle”s Equiano cable lands in Namibia
South AfricaGoogleEQUIANO2022-08-08TechCentralGoogle”s giant Equiano Internet cable has landed in South Africa
RegionalGoogle, LiquidEQUIANO2022-10-06TechCentralLiquid buys capacity on Google”s Equiano cable
TunisiaOoredooPEACE2022-10-20Agence EcofinOoredoo signe un accord avec PCCW pour connecter la Tunisie au câble PEACE
Egypt2022-11-02WiredThe Most Vulnerable Place on the Internet
South AfricaEQUIANO2022-11-08ITWebTeraco announces regional interconnection with Google Equiano cable
South AfricaMTN2AFRICA2022-12-13TechCentralMeta-backed 2Africa cable comes ashore near Cape Town
RegionalGoogle, MetaEQUIANO, 2AFRICA2022-12-16RestofWorldGoogle and Meta’s underwater cables up the stakes on internet control
SenegalSHARE2022-12-23Total TelecomSenegal’s SHARE subsea cable is one step closer to completion
TogoGoogleEQUIANO2022-12-23Total TelecomTogo pips Nigeria for first African landing of Google”s Equiano cable
DjiboutiMeta2AFRICA2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyMETA’s 2Africa lands in Djibouti
South AfricaMTN, Meta2AFRICA2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyMTN lands 2Africa subsea cable in South Africa
EgyptMeta2AFRICA2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyMeta’s 2Africa cable lands in Egypt
Egypt2022-12-28Ahram OnlineExplainer: All you need to know about the new Egypt-Greece subsea cable extension – Urban & Transport – Egypt
Cabo VerdeELLALINK2022-12-28Ecofin AgencySubsea cable EllaLink becomes operational in Cabo Verde
SomalilandMeta2AFRICA2022-12-28Hiiran Online2Africa submarine cable lands in Berbera, Somaliland
RegionalGoogleEQUIANO2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyLiquid Intelligent acquires Google’s fiber pair to improve offers
Morocco, Algeria, TunisiaMEDUSA2022-01-12Capacity MediaAFR-IX to build €326m Medusa cable
NamibiaGoogle, ParatusEQUIANO2022-02-11Data Center DynamicsParatus completes work on Equiano cable landing station in Namibia
NigeriaGoogleEQUIANO2022-04-26The Nation – NigeriaNigeria’s sea of ‘redundant’ submarine cables
SenegalSHARE2022-03-15Capacity MediaADIE”s SHARE Cable ushers in a new age of connectivity
SenegalSHARE2022-01-11Capacity MediaHMN Tech finalises marine installation of SHARE cable
South AfricaGoogleEQUIANO2022-08-09Capacity MediaGoogle”s Equiano subsea cable lands in South Africa
Kenya, EgyptPEACE2022-12-24Submarine Cable NetworksPEACE Cable System goes live

Terrestrial Backbone Fibre

2022 saw continued significant investment in the spread of terrestrial fibre networks. Namibia’s Paratus emerged as a substantial regional player in in Southern Africa, with news of expansions in Botswana, DRC, and Zambia. Cross-border connectivity gaps continued to be filled, linking countries such as Cameroon with Chad and Sudan, Congo with CAR, Cameroon with CAR, and South Sudan with Djibouti (MoU). In spite of these investments, terrestrial fibre optic networks remain underutilised. Prices remain high and there is often a lack of transparency on pricing and availability of fibre optic networks. Indeed simply knowing where fibre optic infrastructure exists can be a challenge.

Happily, a consortium of organisations including Mozilla, ITU, the World Bank, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, CSquared, the Internet Society, and Digital Council Africa joined forces to address this lack of transparency by championing an Open Fibre Data Standard (OFDS) for accurately (and openly) describing terrestrial fibre network infrastructure. The standard (now in Beta) can be found on Github. There is also extensive documentation of the standard on the site as well. Much of my work in 2023 is going to be focused on engaging operators and telecommunication regulators in dialogue about this standard and transparency in general.

African Terrestrial Fibre Optic News in 2022

CountryOperatorPublication DatePublicationURL
CAR Congo2022-01-17Agence EcofinLe Congo a démarré son interconnexion à la Centrafrique par fibre optique sous-fluviale
CAR Congo2022-01-31Energy Capital & PowerConstruction Starts on Congo, Central African Republic Sub-River Fiber Connection
Nigeria2022-02-23The Guardian – NigeriaInfraCos return licences over insecurity, topography of regions
EthiopiaSafaricom2022-03-15ITWeb AfricaSafaricom gains early traction in Ethiopia with strategic fibre optic deal
TogoGoogle2022-03-18Togo FirstTogo is the first African country to be connected to Google”s Equiano submarine cable
TogoGoogle2022-03-18QuartzGoogle”s Africa cable Equiano makes its first landing in Togo
DRCParatus2022-03-23ITNews AfricaParatus Expands to DRC, Connects 620KM Fibre Optic Line
DRCParatus2022-03-23ITWeb AfricaParatus FAST Congo cements company’s DRC ambitions
Nigeria2022-04-04Punch NigeriaFibre Duct Infrastructure Project: Accelerating Lagos SmartCity with Bold Vision
Kenya2022-04-07The East AfricanKenya Pipeline ventures into internet business, launches fibre optic cable
Togo2022-04-07ITWeb AfricaTogolese govt looks to spearhead fibre optic deployment with €300m investment
Kenya2022-04-11CIO Africa Kenya Pipeline Company Launches Fibre Optic Cable
Nigeria2022-04-13MondaqExploring The Legal Framework For Laying Fibre Optic Cable Networks In Nigeria
Kenya2022-04-13Tech Trends KenyaGovernment to deploy 100,000 Kms of fiber optic infrastructure across the country
Kenya2022-04-16Africa.comHuawei to support Kenya”s bid to expand digital infrastructure – China.org.cn
Kenya2022-04-16Africa BriefingHuawei to support Kenya”s bid to expand digital infrastructure
Nigeria2022-04-19The GuardianFacebook’s fibre optics in Nigerian state put Africa pivot in focus
Cameroon2022-04-21ITWeb AfricaCameroon underutilising fibre infrastructure claims World Bank Group report
TanzaniaVodacom2022-04-21ITWeb AfricaVodacom Tanzania pens US$4.59m fibre deal with government
Nigeria2022-04-26Daily Post NigeriaLagos State Fibre Duct Infrastructure Project: Accelerating Lagos SmartCity with Bold Vision
Cameroon2022-05-05Developing TelecomsCameroon to connect fibre optic network with Central African Republic
Cameroon2022-05-05ITWeb AfricaCameroon, CAR seal deal for fibre optic interconnection
BotswanaParatus2022-05-25ITWeb AfricaParatus deploys first independent fibre to connect Gaborone’s CBD
Ghana2022-05-25Tech NovaCSquared Ghana Partners With Angola Cables To Expand Connectivity Solutions Across Key Geographies In Africa
Côte d’Ivoire2022-06-22Agence EcofinNumérique : la Côte d’Ivoire construira un data center et 7 000 km de fibre optique, d’ici 2025
GhanaMTN2022-07-18Starr FMMTN suffers 939 fibre cuts in five months
Nigeria2022-07-19Developing TelecomsHigh hopes for Nigeria’s first fibre optic cable manufacturing factory
Uganda2022-08-25The East AfricanUganda pushes for internet cuts to promote digital financial services
South Sudan Djibouti2022-09-21Developing TelecomsSouth Sudan-Djibouti fibre link proposed
South Sudan Djibouti2022-09-26ITWeb AfricaSouth Sudan ups its connectivity game with new fibre deal
RegionalMTN2022-09-28ITWebMTN GlobalConnect grows connectivity in Africa
Zimbabwe2022-09-29The HeraldZim gets fibre optics, renewable energy backing
Namibia2022-10-11TelegeographyMTC invests NAD100m in 475km fibre deployment
Namibia2022-10-13ITWeb AfricaNamibia”s MTC deploys extra fibre as congestion grips network
KenyaTelkom2022-10-17Business Daily AfricaState fibre optic cable job costs Telkom Kenya Sh557m in loss
Kenya2022-10-20Business Daily AfricaPresident Ruto eyes 100,000km fibre optic network
ZambiaParatus2022-11-07MyBroadbandParatus and Meta sign fiber deal for Zambian towns
ZambiaParatus2022-11-11ITWeb AfricaParatus Zambia partners Meta to roll out new fibre network
Liberia2022-11-16Front Page Africa OnlineLiberia: U.S. To Establish Nationwide Fiber Network in Liberia to Connect One Million Citizens to the Web
Regional2022-11-21EuronewsAfrican Unity Road linking Algiers to Lagos nears completion
Nigeria2022-11-28Punch NigeriaFCT minister reduces telcos RoW charges by 90%
Nigeria2022-12-01ExtensiaNigeria reduces by 90% the cost of rights of way for telecoms infrastructure in the territory of its capital
Zimbabwe2022-12-22ChronicleFibre optic project takes off. . . Zimbabwe set to be Africa’s internet epicentre
Zimbabwe2022-12-23Agence EcofinBCS launches rail fibre optic project to improve broadband connectivity
Nigeria2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyLiquid Intelligent Technologies launches in Nigeria
South Sudan Djibouti2022-12-28Ecofin AgencySouth Sudan and Djibouti ink fiber optic interconnection MoU
ZambiaParatus2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyZambia : Paratus and Meta partner to build a 900-km metro fiber across 10 cities
Regional2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyWIOCC secures US$30 mln to expand digital infrastructure network in Africa
DRC2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyLiquid Intelligent Technologies expands its fiber-optic network in DRC
Cameroon chad sudanSudatel2022-04-14Capacity MediaAfrican three partner on Cameroon-Chad-Sudan terrestrial upgrade
EthiopiaSafaricom2022-03-11Capacity MediaSafaricom Ethiopia signs dark-fibre agreement ahead of April
Kenya2022-04-07Capital FM NewsKPC claims a pie of internet market with launch of fibre optic cable
Nigeria2022-06-11DefunctNCC in Talks with Foreign Coy for Broadband Infrastructure Grants – Latest News Nigeria
South Africa2022-11-17TelecomPaperLiquid Intelligent builds 7,000 km fibre network in Eastern Cape
TogoGoogle2022-03-18Data Center DynamicsGoogle’s Equiano cable lands in Togo
RegionalMTN2022-05-12Capacity MediaAll eyes on 2025
CAR Congo2022-01-19Capacity MediaNew riverbed fibre joins Congo to Central African Republic

Fibre To The Home and OTT

One of the more surprising shifts in last mile technologies on the continent has been the speed at which Fibre To The Home (FTTH) has spread. The availability of high-capacity fibre optic backbones, increased affordability of last-mile fibre optic technologies, demand for remote video conferencing as a result of the pandemic, and the availability of a wide array of streaming media OTT services have all contributed to the acceleration of FTTH roll-out. Obviously this is only practical in urban areas but lessons from South Africa suggest that even quite small towns can make the case for FTTH.

FTTH and OTT are here together as a category because of the role that OTT companies and services play as a driver of the FTTH market. While it is encouraging to see the uptake of streaming media services, it is amazing to see the growth of African content thanks to investment from OTT giants like Netflix. Not to be left out, many telecom operators have launched their own streaming services but if recent history in South Africa is anything to go by, it may be better left to specialist service providers.

The success of OTT has implications for the broadcast sector in general. For countries engaged in the switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting, one can only wonder whether the millions of dollars involved in the transition will ever be recouped if OTT continues to grow and dominate consumer media consumption. Countries like South Africa which are now very late to complete the digital switchover are in the invidious position of having to commit to a technology which may already have passed its prime.

African FTTH and OTT News in 2022

CategoryCountryOperatorPublication DatePublicationURL
FTTHSouth Africa2022-01-18Business Insider South AfricaSA’s small towns were hesitant about fibre – now, as Zoom towns, they’re begging for it
FTTHUgandaAfricell2022-02-10pc tech magazineSEACOM Has Acquired Africell Uganda Assets For East Africa Expansion
FTTHSouth Africa2022-05-16MyBroadbandSouth Africa’s explosion of fibre network operators
FTTHZambiaAirtel2022-07-28ITWeb AfricaAirtel Zambia launches new fibre connectivity solution for businesses
FTTHSouth Africa2022-11-11ITWeb AfricaFibre alliance to reach unconnected in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch
FTTHBotswanaParatus2022-11-29ITWeb AfricaParatus Botswana flexes fibre muscle as it looks to compete
FTTHSouth Africa2022-12-28Ecofin AgencySouth Africa: MetroFibre secures US$299.8 mln to extend fiber optic network
OTTRegional2022-01-28ITWeb AfricaNetflix earmarks US$1m as it looks to up subscriber numbers in Africa
OTTRegional2022-05-05ITWebAfrican telcos in OTT push amid stiff competition | ITWeb
OTTRegional2022-08-23ITWeb AfricaNetflix invites Africa’s storytellers to make their mark
OTTKenya2022-10-07TechweezIn the Footsteps of CNN, Netflix Gets Deal to Market Kenya Tourism
OTTSouth Africa2022-12-09TechCentralSouth Africa gets new analogue TV switch-off date
OTTSouth Africa2022-12-13TelegeographyMinister sets 31 March 2023 as new analogue switch-off date
OTTNigeria2022-11-14Broadcast Media AfricaNetflix Invested $40+ Million In The Nigerian Film Industry – Company Official
OTTSouth Africa2022-09-23Daily InvestorBillion rand mistake all South African telecoms operators made
OTTSouth Africa2022-06-23Broadcast Media AfricaGoogle TV Set To Launch In South Africa
OTTTanzania2022-01-07Broadcast Media AfricaTanzania Scores First Netflix Film Release With ”Binti”
OTTRegional2022-08-23Broadcast Media AfricaAfrica Will Have 14 Million Streaming And VoD Subscriptions By 2027 – Recent Report Reveals

Licensed Spectrum

The challenge of making wireless spectrum available to mobile network operators in a manner that is fair to operators and yet which also addresses national strategic objectives did not get any easier in 2022. Notable releases of IMT spectrum included the long-awaited spectrum auction in South Africa, the auction of additional 5G spectrum licenses in Nigeria, and Tanzania’s auction of multiple frequencies.

What is wireless spectrum worth? Taking a look below at the sampling of prices paid for spectrum in 2022, it hard to see any sort of pattern. Naturally prices are affect by the amount of spectrum on offer and the specific frequency which may have characteristics better suited to urban broadband e.g. 3.5GHz or rural roll-out e.g. 700MHz. Spectrum prices are also affected by overall income levels in a country as well as the size of the addressable market. But it doesn’t stop there. The term of the license (10, 15, 25 years) will have a big impact on the prices as well as any roll-out obligations that are associated with the licenses. Last but not least, government desire for a treasury windfall can also have a significant effect on the reserve price of spectrum. All of these things shape the final outcome.

YearOperatorCountrySpectrumPrice paid
2022VodacomTanzania2x10MHz (700MHz)$25M
2022TelkomSouth Africa2x10MHz (800MHz)$99M
2022AirtelNigeria100MHz (3.5GHz)$273M
2022AirtelTanzania80MHz (3.5GHz)$21M
2022AirtelKenya2x10MHz (2100MHz)$20M

One thing is clear, given the millions and millions of dollars at stake, there is a real need for more transparency regarding the assignment of IMT spectrum by regulators and for more public-interest research on the impact of spectrum costs.

In other news in 2022, 5G deployments picked up pace in 2022 with notable roll-outs in Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Many other countries have trials underway. Without exception, these have been urban deployments and quite naturally aimed at the top end of the market where both demand for high-speed access and ability to pay is higher. It has caused some to question the utility of these deployments. Perhaps more attention needs to be given to inclusion and making broadband available and accessible by all citizens rather new technologies that cater to an elite that already have broadband access.

CategoryCountryFrequencyOperatorDatePublicationURL
5GKenyaSafaricom2021-01-05The East AfricanSafaricom puts 5G rollout on hold – The East African
5GKenyaSafaricom2021-03-25Business Daily AfricaSafaricom to launch 5G network Friday in Nairobi and western Kenya
5GMali2021-07-09TelegeographyOrange Mali tests 5G
5GSouth AfricaVodacom MTN2021-12-31Total TelecomTelecoms towers torched in South Africa over 5G fears
5GRegional2021-03-15World BankWorld Bank Document – Policy-Choices-Can-Help-Keep-4G-and-5G-Universal-Broadband-Affordable.pdf
AuctionNigeria2021-03-31Developing TelecomsInterview: Airtel Africa’s Razvan Ungureanu
AuctionNigeria2021-09-06Broadcast Media AfricaNigeria: Federal Government To Start 5G Spectrum Auction At US$ 2.6 Billion – Broadcast Media Africa (BMA)
AuctionNigeria3.5GHz2021-11-14Punch NigeriaGrowing concerns over Nigeria’s 5G spectrum auction – Punch Newspapers
AuctionZambia800MHz2021-02-03TelegeographyZICTA calls for applications for block of 800MHz spectrum
AuctionNigeria800MHzMTN2021-03-12ITWeb AfricaMTN Nigeria secures additional spectrum
AuctionSouth Africa2021-09-07TechCentralIcasa consents to court order setting aside spectrum ITA
AuctionSouth Africa2021-10-01TechCentralIcasa sets timetable to auction spectrum by March 2022
AuctionSouth Africa2021-10-01News24Icasa announces new deadlines for spectrum auction
AuctionNigeria2021-10-11LeadershipNCC Sets Reserve Price For 5G Spectrum Auction At $197.4m
AuctionNigeria3.5GHz2021-11-05Premium Times5G: MTN, Airtel want Nigeria”s $197 million licence fee slashed
AuctionNigeria3.5GHz2021-11-07The Nation – NigeriaNCC insists on $197 million for 5G spectrum – The Nation Newspaper
AuctionNigeria3.5GHz2021-11-09TechNextNCC to auction 5G spectrum on Dec 13, insists on N75bn reserve price
AuctionNigeria3.5GHz2021-12-02Mobile World LiveNigeria clears trio of bidders for 5G auction – Mobile World Live
AuctionNigeria3.5GHz2021-12-02NairametricsNCC announces MTN, Airtel, another firm as qualified bidders for 3.5 Ghz spectrum
AuctionNigeria3.5GHz2021-12-03Developing TelecomsAirtel, MTN and newcomer Mafab set for Nigerian 5G auction
AuctionNigeria3.5GHzMTN, Mafab2021-12-13Premium TimesAirtel loses as MTN, Mafab win bid for 5G spectrum
AuctionNigeria3.5GHz2021-12-13The Guardian – NigeriaNigeria”s 5G auction price rises to $209.4m | The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News — Technology — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News
AuctionNigeria3.5GHz2021-12-14This DayFG Rakes in Fresh $547m as MTN, Mafab Win 3.5GHz Spectrum Auction
AuctionNigeria3.5GHzMafab2021-12-16TechNextThe question of Tinubu”s involvement in MAFAB amid NCC”s assurance
AuctionNigeria3.5GHzMafab2021-12-16Business Post5G Auction: NCC Denies Knowledge of Tinubu”s Link With Mafab
AuctionNigeria3.5GHZ2021-12-19LeadershipHow Mafab’s Founder Fought His Way To 5G Licence
LTENigeria3.5GHz2021-01-18Developing TelecomsTizeti rolls out affordable LTE in Southern Nigeria
LTESenegal2021-03-01TelegeographyExpresso obtains 4G licence
LTESouth Sudan2021-03-08Developing TelecomsDeveloping Telecoms
LTEMauritaniaMoov2021-04-08TelegeographyLucky 13 for Moov Mauritel 4G
LTEMauritania2021-08-28Agence EcofinMauritanie : Chinguitel lance à son tour la 4G, huit mois après Mauritel et Mattel
LTELibya2021-09-02Agence EcofinLibye : Libyana, Al- Madar et Libya Telecom and Technology initient la couverture 4G du sud du pays
LTENigeriaMTN2021-10-28Capacity MediaMTN Nigeria to raise $220 million to extend 4G network
LTEZimbabwe2021-10-28TelegeographyEconet embarks on network expansion project
LTEKenyaTelkom2021-11-02ITWeb AfricaTelkom Kenya announces US$100m network expansion
LTEMauritania2021-11-30Agence EcofinMauritanie : rivale de Mauritel et Chinguitel, Mattel a entamé l’extension de sa couverture 4G au-delà de Nouakchott
LTEBenin2021-11-30TelegeographyMTN Benin to cover 75% of the population with 4G this year
LTEKenya2021-12-31Ecofin AgencyKenya: Telkom invests $100mln to expand its 4G network
LTESomalia2021-12-31Ecofin AgencySomalia: Hormuud Telecom plans full 4G coverage by 2023
LTETanzania2021-12-31Ecofin AgencyTanzania: Airtel upgrades its 4G network
SpectrumGhanaMTN2021-09-28ITNews AfricaMTN Announces 5G Roll Out Date in Ghana – IT News Africa – Up to date technology news, IT news, Digital news, Telecom news, Mobile news, Gadgets news, Analysis and Reports
SpectrumZambia800MHz2021-01-04ITWeb AfricaAirtel secures spectrum as Zambia advances 5G strategy
SpectrumGhana2021-02-16BNN BloombergGhana Plans to Relax Telecom Licensing Rules to Lower Data Costs
SpectrumGhana2021-02-17Kahawa TunguGhana to Alter Spectrum Regulations to Reduce Data Costs –
SpectrumGhana2021-02-23ITWeb AfricaRuralStar Ghana project targets potential 4.5m disconnected
SpectrumZambia800MHzMTN2021-03-24ITWeb AfricaMTN Zambia secures additional spectrum
SpectrumKenya2021-05-17OtherTowards a Licensing and Shared Spectrum Framework for Community Networks in Kenya – YouTube
SpectrumKenya2021-05-19The Standard KenyaState to waive license fees on local Internet
SpectrumSouth Africa2021-05-21TechCentralIcasa licenses 5G spectrum to SMEs, raising hackles
SpectrumTogo2021-09-06ITWeb AfricaTogo looks to secure share of US$10bn China fund to advance digital migration
SpectrumNigeria900MHz, 1800MHzMTN2021-09-10TelegeographyMTN renews Nigerian licence for a further ten years
SpectrumNigeria2021-07-06Broadcasting and MediaNigeria: Govt. Agency Surpassed Its Revenue Projection For Spectrum Fees In 2021
SpectrumKenya2021-05-11CA KenyaPublic Consultation On Draft Licensing And Shared Spectrum Framework For Community Networks In Kenya – Communications Authority of Kenya – Communications Authority of Kenya
SpectrumZambia800MHz2020-12-29Zambia ReportsAirtel Granted Radio Spectrum by ZICTA
SpectrumZambia800MHz2021-01-05Developing TelecomsCould spectrum award boost Airtel Zambia’s 5G prospects?

Unlicensed and Dynamic Spectrum

One of the interesting consequences of the pandemic has been the increase in demand for home internet services by those who needed to either work remotely and/or provide access to education services for their children. FTTH services (as mentioned above) have grown rapidly as a result but so have Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services. WiFi has proven to be a very successful technology for FWA although many MNOs are also offering FWA in licensed bands. Indeed, most 5G offerings to date on the continent have been more FWA than individual mobile phone services. A key difference between mobile and FWA services seems to be that FWA is often offered as an uncapped service which is more suitable for household/business access where monitoring individual access may be impractical and/or undesirable.

African governments continue to see WiFi as a means of providing affordable public access to internet. The governments of Uganda, Mozambique and Kenya all made commitments in 2022 to roll out public WiFi services. Meanwhile, commercial WiFi service providers like Mawingu in Kenya and Tizeti in Nigeria quietly attracted more investment and expanded services in 2022.

The success of WiFi around the world has led to a push for more spectrum (in 6GHz) to be made available on a license-exempt basis. In the African region, South Africa led the way in December publishing draft regulations that would open up the lower half of the 6GHz band for license exempt use.

In the world of TV White Space spectrum, things were pretty quiet in the past year. South Africa was the only country that saw additional deployments of TVWS networks in 2022. I wrote about the challenges facing TVWS adoption in the region earlier in the year.

In somewhat disappointing news, Meta (Facebook) shut down their ExpressWiFi initiative which was working with ISPs around the world to create an affordable, high-performance WiFi platform for service providers. This follows on the heels of Alphabet (Google) shutting down a similar initative called Google Station in 2020. It is hard not to be somewhat cynical about the dilettantism of Silicon Valley giants who set out with grand ambitions to connect the world but quickly flush them as soon as profits dip. The image on the right is from what used to be the home page of internet.org. Somewhat ironically, that link now points to Meta’s ambitions for the Metaverse.

African WiFi & Dynamic Spectrum News 2022

CategoryCountryPublication DatePublicationURL
WiFiRegional2022-02-07TechcrunchCountries in sub-Saharan Africa most affected as Meta halts low-cost Express Wi-Fi
WiFiRegional2022-02-08The ExchangeMeta shuts Express Wi-Fi pushing Africa”s rural internet solutions needs
WiFiRegional2022-02-08TechCabalMeta quietly shuts down its low-cost internet program across Africa
WiFiKenya2022-03-07Business Daily AfricaKenya Power to start selling fixed internet
WiFiSouth Africa2022-05-10TechCentralProposal tabled to open 6GHz band to Wi-Fi in South Africa
WiFiSouth Africa2022-05-13ITWebICASA at odds with WISPs over WiFi 6E spectrum
WiFiMozambique2022-06-10TelegeographyMozambique planning free Wi-Fi areas for every district
WiFiKenya2022-07-06Business Daily AfricaKenya Power says its home internet here within a year
WiFiNigeria2022-08-09Developing TelecomsTizeti plans West African expansion
WiFiUganda2022-08-23TechJajaGovt is back to promising Ugandans free Wireless Internet
WiFiUganda2022-08-23Monitor – UgandaGovt to install ‘free’ Wi- Fi hotspots across Uganda
WiFiUganda2022-08-29ITWeb AfricaUganda strengthens broadband backbone with RCIP
WiFiSouth Africa2022-09-08TechCentralTikTok-branded free Wi-Fi hotspots launched in South Africa
WiFiNigeria2022-11-11TelegeographyTizeti and Eutelsat collaborate on community satellite broadband
WiFiUganda2022-12-01PML DailyFree Wi-Fi is just the start of Uganda’s digital transformation
WiFiKenya2022-12-03The Standard KenyaState to set up 25,000 free Wi-Fi hotspots
WiFiKenya2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyKenya Power to launch fixed internet services by June 2023
WiFiMozambique2022-06-08Mozambique Autoridade Reguladora das Comunicações-INCMMoçambique comprometido com a Inclusão Digital
WiFiSouth Africa2022-01-03Disrupt AfricaSA connectivity startup Isizwe raises $460k from Global Innovation Fund
TVWSSouth Africa2022-01-27MyBroadbandGood news for South Africa’s TV White Spaces project
TVWSSouth Africa2022-11-14ITWebTV white space to unlock next frontier of SA connectivity
TVWSSouth Africa2022-08-01WiFiNowIndio Networks & Indigo Broadband team up for affordable Internet in rural South Africa
WiFiKenya2022-04-07USTDAUSTDA Supports Rural Internet Connectivity in East Africa
WiFiSouth Africa2022-12-19TechCentralIcasa moves to free up more spectrum for Wi-Fi

Towers

Tower news this year is very similar to last year and the year before. MNOs continue to sell off their tower assets to tower companies. In theory, this is good news as tower companies represent neutral infrastructure to host more than one operator on their towers. Sometimes tower outsourcing can turn out to be too much of a good thing in cases where there is consolidation of tower operators, leading to claims of monopoly. Unfortunately it is very difficult to say anything concrete about the impact of tower companies on the continent as there is so little public information. It would be wonderful to better understand the extent to which MNO outsourcing to tower companies has an impact on overall infrastructure sharing. This lack of transparency is not a given. Regulators in Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and France all publish detailed public information on towers across their countries.

African Tower News in 2022

CountryOperatorPublication DatePublicationURL
RegionalIHS2022-03-15Developing TelecomsIHS claims to be the third-largest tower firm
MalawiAirtel2022-03-25Developing TelecomsHelios completes tower purchase from Airtel Malawi
UgandaMTN2022-05-29Monitor – UgandaHow UCC halted mobile masts monopoly
South AfricaMTN2022-06-01ITWeb AfricaIHS adds tower power after completing R6.4bn deal with MTN SA
RegionalAirtel, ATC2022-10-10YahooAmerican Tower and Airtel Africa Announce Strategic Partnership
DRCNuRAN2022-12-13Agence EcofinNuRAN Wireless partners with Trans Africa Towers to build 500 telecoms tours over three years in DR Congo
Nigeria2022-12-23Total Telecom1,300 illegal telecoms towers discovered in Abuja, Nigeria
South AfricaMTN2022-06-06Data Center DynamicsSouth Africa’s IHS acquires 5,701 towers from MTN for $412m
TanzaniaAirtel2022-01-07Broadcast Media AfricaAirtel Africa Concludes Phase One Of Its Telecoms Tower Assets Sale

Datacentres

Undersea cables and terrestrial fibre can offer faster access to the global internet but the widespread establishment of datacentres in African countries is key to growing an Afro-centric internet. The good news is that fibre operators, cloud providers, and governments are all moving to invest in datacentres across the continent. Like terrestrial fibre, the accessibility and affordability of these datacentres will have a significant impact on their uptake and ultimately their impact. Cloud-based access technologies like OpenRAN will succeed or fail in the region based on the availability and affordability of cloud infrastructure.

African Datacentre News in 2022

CountryOperatorPublication DatePublicationURL
South AfricaOrange2022-01-19ITWebOracle’s Johannesburg data centre goes live
NigeriaAcronis2022-02-11ITWeb AfricaAcronis strengthens datacentre strategy with Nigeria development
RegionalPAIX2022-02-17Africa 50PAIX Data Centres announces completion of Series B investment by Africa50 for expansion of its pan-African data centres network
NamibiaParatus2022-03-11ITWeb AfricaParatus Namibia to launch Armada datacentre
TanzaniaRaxio2022-03-23ITWeb AfricaRaxio commits to construct Tanzania’s first Tier III datacentre
NigeriaEquinix2022-04-05ITWeb AfricaEquinix acquires MainOne for US$320m
NamibiaParatus2022-05-24ITWeb AfricaParatus backs Armada DC venture with N$123m and a lot of expectation
South AfricaAfrica Data Centres2022-06-15TechzimAfrica Data Centres is building a new 20MW facility in Cape Town
KenyaHurricane Electric2022-07-27YahooHurricane Electric Expands IP Transit Options in Kenya, With New Point of Presence at Mombasa One Data Center
KenyaHurricane Electric2022-07-29ITWeb AfricaWinds of PoP change as Hurricane Electric expands into Kenya
RegionalAMS-IX, MainData2022-08-24ITWeb AfricaGlobal deal a lucrative prospect for Africa’s Internet Exchange capability
NigeriaAWS2022-11-01ITWeb AfricaAWS opens up in Lagos
South AfricaTeraco2022-11-02ITWeb AfricaTeraco completes SA JB4 datacentre addition
RwandaAfrica Data Centres2022-11-29ITWeb AfricaAfrica Data Centres to build new datacentre in Kigali
South AfricaOpen Access Data Centres2022-12-07MyBroadbandOpen Access Data Centres building three core data centres for South Africa
EthiopiaSafaricom2022-12-23Total TelecomSafaricom’s first data centre reaches Ethiopia ahead of service launch
MalawiGovt of Malawi2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyMalawi inaugurates first national data center
KenyaLondon IX2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyLondon Internet Exchange debuts African expansion with Kenya
South AfricaWIOCC2022-12-07Data Center DynamicsWIOCC’s OADC launches data centers in Lagos, Nigeria, and Jo’burg, South Africa
South AfricaNTT2022-10-26Business WireNTT Opens New Data Center in South Africa to Support Growing Digital Economy
RegionalGovt of Cape Verde2022-09-13Data Center DynamicsData center in Cape Verde to be completed by end of 2022
KenyaAfrica Data Centres2022-12-01Data Center DynamicsAfrica Data Centres to expand Nairobi campus in Kenya

Satellite

The Starlink LEO satellite constellation began offering broadband services in 2021 and now claims over a million customers globally. I think many were optimistic that Starlink might be available in some African countries in 2022 but that doesn’t seem to have come to pass. Several countries, including Nigeria, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia have confirmed regulatory approval of Starlink. Starlink appears to be accepting pre-orders even in countries where approval has not yet been granted. One news report claimed Starlink would be operational in Nigeria before the end of 2022 but there doesn’t appear to be any actual evidence of this.

The big question is what will Starlink charge for services and hardware in Africa, and what its terms of service will be. One report suggests that the cost of the satellite terminal in Nigeria will be only $99 and the monthly fee would be about $43, in contrast to the $599 terminal cost and $99 monthly fee charged in the United States.

As a single user/household consumer technology, Starlink will only be of interest to the comparatively wealthy. However, as a small-ISP backhaul technology, Starlink could have a significant impact on affordable rural access. Time will tell whether they will allow / encourage this use of the technology.

Meanwhile, competitor OneWeb has been busy making deals on the continent as well. They have built a gateway in Ghana and partnered with Paratus to build one in Angola as well. They have also partnered with Airtel on a plan to offer services in 14 African countries. As yet, OneWeb is not yet operational. Estimates suggest that commercial service will only become available towards the end of 2023.

Not to be left out, Lightspeed (another LEO constellation in the works from Canadian satellite operator Telesat) have announced a cooperation with Liquid Intelligent Technologies. Because they are more focused on corporate customers, OneWeb and Telesat might be a better fit for rural Africa as a backhaul option for ISPs and MNOs. However, it seems as if Starlink will be offering services long before either of them and may adapt to fit that market.

GEO satellite service providers have not been idle either. Eutelsat have partnered with Liquid Intelligent Technologies to offer broadband services in Uganda, South Sudan, and DRC. Viasat have partnered with Microsoft to offer satellite broadband services in Nigeria and DRC and possibly Senegal and Angola as well. Meanwhile, Intelsat have partnered with MTN to extend services in South Sudan. All of these initiatives involve new generation High Throughput Satellites (HTS) that are capable of delivering real broadband services albeit with higher latency than LEO satellite services.

African Satellite Broadband News in 2022

CountryOperatorPublication DatePublicationURL
SenegalO3B2022-02-17ITWeb AfricaAfrica’s first O3b mPOWER gateway to be deployed in Senegal
RegionalTelesat, Liquid2022-03-01ITWeb AfricaTelesat, Liquid Intelligent Technologies move with Lightspeed on LEO services
DRCVodacom2022-03-01Developing TelecomsVodacom DRC extends Ku-band contract with Intelsat
MaliOrange2022-03-03ITWeb AfricaIntelsat pens deal with Orange Mali to expand connectivity
TanzaniaVodacom, Eutelsat2022-03-16ITWeb AfricaVodacom Tanzania inks deal with Eutelsat to reach remote regions
RegionalOrange, AST2022-03-25Seeking AlphaAST SpaceMobile, Orange to test satellite service in Africa (NASDAQ:ASTS)
NigeriaStarlink2022-05-27NairametricsNCC licenses Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide internet service in Nigeria
RegionalIntelsat2022-09-21Developing TelecomsIntelsat joins alliance to support hard-to-connect communities
ZambiaStarlink2022-09-29ITWeb AfricaSpaceX to shuttle in Starlink connectivity in Zambia
MalawiStarlink2022-10-24ITWeb AfricaMalawi looks to satellite connectivity to drive down data prices
AngolaOneweb2022-11-04ITWeb AfricaOneWeb partners Paratus to build gateway in Angola
ZimbabweLiquid2022-11-08TechzimLiquid Home vs TelOne vs Zodsat vs Telco vs Utande. Which is the best VSAT provider?
RegionalAirtel, Oneweb2022-11-08Developing TelecomsOneWeb and Airtel Africa to bring LEO connectivity to African markets
RegionalOneweb2022-11-10TelegeographyOneWeb partners Airtel for LEO satellite connectivity in 14 African countries
TanzaniaStarlink2022-11-21Africa Business InsiderElon Musk”s SpaceX seeks licence to launch Starlink broadband in Tanzania by 2023
TanzaniaStarlink2022-11-23The Nation – KenyaElon Musk to offer satellite Internet to Tanzania from January
RegionalParatus2022-12-05ITWeb AfricaParatus to distribute OneWeb’s LEO solutions across Africa
NigeriaStarlink2022-12-19Agence EcofinNigeria: Government Confirms Starlink to Launch Its Activities Before the End of the Year
NigeriaStarlink2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyNigeria: Starlink to commence commercial operations next month
NigeriaYahClick2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyNigeria: Phase3 Telecom, YahClick partner to offer broadband satellite internet
South SudanMTN2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyMTN partners with Intelsat to extend network coverage in South Sudan
TanzaniaStarlink2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyTanzania: Musk’s Starlink applies for satellite internet service license
Uganda South SudanEutelsat2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyLiquid inks new deal with Eutelsat for broadband internet in three African countries
RegionalOrange2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyOrange to test space-based internet in Africa
AngolaOneweb2022-11-03OneWebOneWeb and Paratus Sign a Multi-year Gateway Installation Agreement
GhanaOneweb2022-05-24Capacity MediaOneWeb and TinSky complete LEOsat gateway in Ghana
MozambiqueStarlink2022-02-22O PaísMoçambique conta com nova provedora de Internet – O País – A verdade como notícia
NigeriaViasat2022-12-15Microsoft NewsMicrosoft and Viasat Announce New Partnership to Deliver Internet Access to Underserved Communities Globally
Nigeria2022-01-19Broadcast Media AfricaNigeria: Government Plans To Launch Second Communications Satellite
South AfricaVoxVox TelecomVox Shop
South AfricaStarlink2022-12-29My Broadband All the African countries getting Starlink before South Africa
NigeriaStarlink2022-12-31LegitElon Musk’s Starlink Internet Service Set to Launch, Rivals Panic as Nigerians Pre-Order Routers
KenyaStarlink2022-11-17Kenyan Vibe Elon Musk Set To Launch Starlink Internet In Kenya

Miscellaneous

Last but not least is a grab bag of news that did not fit into an obvious category. Most of it is telecoms-focused but I have cast the net a bit wider where it seemed interesting.

Notable in 2022 was the rise of Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) operators. These are operators / manufacturers that specialise in the design and operation of low-cost, energy-efficient, rural GSM networks. Africa Mobile Networks (AMN), NuRAN Wireless, and Vanu are the major players in this space. They partner with existing MNOs to offer turnkey rural access networks in exchange for a share of revenue. 2022 saw Orange partnering with Vanu in Cote D’Ivoire and NuRAN partnering with MTN in Namibia. Later in the year NuRAN signed a broader framework agreement with MTN to offer services across the Middle East and Africa. Meanwhile AMN secured a $20M round of investment. Huawei is also a player in this space with a product called RuralStarPro. They have partnered with the Ghanaian government to roll out over 2000 rural cell sites.

Meta came under fire in Africa in 2022 and not just for shutting down ExpressWiFi. Facebook’s outsourcing of content moderation came under scrutiny as did their failure to adequately address misinformation. And long overdue from my perspective, researchers and journalists began to look at Meta’s “free” internet initiatives from Free Basics to zero-rating of apps like WhatsApp.

As a counterpoint, it was encouraging to see startups like South Africa’s MoyaApp emerging as a home-grown alternative to global messaging giants. From a policy/regulatory perspective, why would you allow the zero-rating of apps and services from global internet giants, thereby ensuring that domestic messaging startups will always face an uphill battle?

Miscellaneous African Telecom News in 2022

CountryOperatorPublication DatePublicationURL
Central African Republic2020-02-18African Review of Political EconomyColonialism without colonies: France, Africa and the CFA franc – ROAPE
South Africa2022-01-01iNethiA community inclusion voucher is born in Ocean View, Cape Town – iNethi Technologies
Regional2022-01-07RestofWorld“It’s a lazy tax”: Why African governments’ obsession with mobile money could backfire
Nigeria2022-01-11TechCabalUnchecked ambition, lax regulations: The genesis of predatory digital lenders in Nigeria | TechCabal
Nigeria2022-01-13RestofWorldHow Twitter rolled over to get unblocked in Nigeria
South Africa2022-01-18DatafreeHome – Datafree
Ghana2022-01-20HaaretzNSO Ghana op exposed: Never-before-seen Pegasus spyware footage, workers’ passports – Tech News – Haaretz.com
RegionalMeta2022-01-21The GuardianHow Facebook took over the internet in Africa – and changed everything | Facebook | The Guardian
Uganda2022-01-24Uganda Ministry of ICT and National GuidanceNational Broadband Baseline Survey & Infrastructure Blueprint – Ministry of ICT & National Guidance
Regional2022-02-17Developing TelecomsReplacing Chinese network equipment unaffordable in emerging markets – Developing Telecoms
RegionalMeta2022-02-17Time MagazineInside Facebook”s African Sweatshop
Zimbabwe2022-02-20NetBlocksInternet slowdown limits coverage of Zimbabwe opposition rally – NetBlocks
NamibiaMTN2022-02-22NuRAN WirelesNuRAN SIGNS MOU FOR 150 SITES WITH MTN IN NAMIBIA FOR RURAL 4G AND 2G | NuRAN Wireless
RegionalMTN Meta2022-02-28TechCabalMTN buys 144 plots of digital land, becoming first African company to enter the Metaverse
Regional2022-02-28Developing TelecomsInternal Ericsson report leaks reveal damaging corruption allegations
Nigeria2022-03-01Developing TelecomsVanu announces solar-powered base station rollout in Nigeria
Cameroon2022-03-02Le DevoirNuRAN Wireless: l’entreprise de Québec qui défie Huawei et SpaceX/a>
Regional2022-03-21RestofWorldAfrican governments can’t run consumer fintech, digital currencies
Tanzania Senegal2022-04-17The ConversationDigital banking is the in-thing — but it excludes many users in Tanzania and Senegal
RegionalMeta2022-04-18The GuardianFacebook ‘lacks willpower’ to tackle misinformation in Africa | Social media
Nigeria2022-05-23RestofWorldThe scandal at Nigerian unicorn Flutterwave is the tip of a toxic iceberg
South Africa2022-05-26News24Icasa eyes international markets for benchmark of open access network
South Africa2022-06-01Freight NewsInnovation drives optic fibre cable manufacturer’s Dube TradePort expansion
Regional2022-06-01The Economic Timesafrica online platforms: ”Local is king”: Africa”s online platforms take on Silicon Valley
Kenya2022-06-13Business Daily AfricaTime for open data in fibre infrastructure
Rwanda2022-06-13Rwanda Ministry of Information Communication Technology and InnovationRWANDA – The National Broadband Policy and Strategy
Nigeria2022-06-17Mobile EuropeAfricans deserve better – Lets Talk
Sudan2022-06-30MSNSudan: Internet access disrupted ahead of Khartoum protests
South Africa2022-07-01TechcrunchU.S CFTC charges South African company over $1.7 billion bitcoin ponzi scheme
South Africa2022-07-06TechCentralHuge Group to acquire what was Virgin Mobile in South Africa
RegionalMTN2022-07-21ACCESSWIRENuRAN Signs Group Framework Agreement with MTN Group for Middle East and African Rural Deployment
Regional2022-07-22Africa Center for Strategic StudiesDeluge of Digital Repression Threatens African Security – Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Ghana2022-08-01Ghana TodayGovt starts constructing 2,016 cell sites under Rural Telephony Project
South AfricaMTN2022-08-16TechCentralMTN hires outgoing Icasa CEO Willington Ngwepe into top role
Malawi2022-08-24Developing TelecomsMalawi to award third operator licence to Malcel
Regional2022-08-24CircleID“Africa & Latin America, It’s All Huawei” – End-To-End Manufacturing Drives the Cost Down
Malawi2022-08-25ITWeb AfricaMalawi: Malcel readies to take on Airtel, TNM
South Africa2022-09-02TechCentral”Drastic measures” needed to fight infrastructure theft
GhanaMTN2022-09-14News GhanaElephant in the Room: Is MTN Ghana outgrowing regulations?
South Africa2022-09-27Developing TelecomsCell C and Capitec bank announce South Africa’s latest MVNO
Kenya2022-10-04Business Daily AfricaState fully acquires Telkom Kenya in Sh6.09 billion deal
South Africa2022-10-07MoyaHome – MoyaApp
South Africa2022-10-17TechCentralHow MoyaApp is taking on WhatsApp, and winning
Regional2022-10-18BoomplayDownload Music on Boomplay – Home of Music
Nigeria2022-10-31New Telegraph135m Nigerians not using 3G, 4G networks
Zimbabwe2022-11-02TechzimDolphin Telecom plus 2 other MVNOs. We wanted competition and it”s here. Almost
Nigeria2022-11-07NairametricsBroadband: NCC sets up N800 billion National Communications Backbone project
‘Côte d”Ivoire’Orange2022-11-09ITWeb AfricaOrange Côte d’Ivoire and Vanu advance with IDEAL connectivity program
Regional2022-11-23Top 10 VPNThe Global Cost of Internet Shutdowns
ZambiaMTN2022-11-25Developing TelecomsAfter South Africa and Nigeria, MTN now launches 5G in Zambia – Developing Telecoms
Nigeria2022-11-30Agence EcofinLe Nigeria réduit de 90 % les frais de droits de passage des infrastructures télécoms sur le territoire de sa capitale
Uganda2022-12-03Monitor – UgandaAcross East Africa, Big Brother is watching your every move
South Africa2022-12-09South African GovernmentInfrastructure Development Act: National Infrastructure Plan 2050 Phase 2: Comments invited | South African Government
‘Côte d”Ivoire’2022-12-12Agence EcofinCôte d’Ivoire : l’ARTCI et les acteurs télécoms locaux se concertent sur la neutralité du net
Angola2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyAngola: Africell, Perception TVCDN launch free mobile TV
‘Côte d”Ivoire’MTN2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyCôte d”Ivoire: MTN partners with NuRAN to extend its presence in rural areas
Zimbabwe2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyZimbabwe issues its first MVNO license
Zimbabwe2022-12-28Ecofin AgencyZimbabwe unveils plans to facilitate digital communication with community networks
Regional2022-12-28AudiomackAudiomack | Free Music Sharing and Discovery
Kenya2022-06-02Capital FM NewsKenyan SMEs projected to contribute 50pc of GDP in next three years
KenyaGoogle2022-04-20Africa.comGoogle”s First Product Development Centre In Africa is Hiring
Malawi2022-03-24Nyasa TimesStudy says 86% of Malawi population does not have access to internet
NigeriaGoogleNigeria – TCN Transmission Stations
Nigeria2022-02-17Vanguard NigeriaCiudad Sparkle seals deal on provision of high-speed internet in Nigeria
Rwanda2022-11-15GSMAGSMA | Rwanda reverses decision to depend on a Single Wholesale Network
Regional2022-11-17Capacity MediaAMN secures investment for Africa expansion
Regional2022-09-27WileyControl, Extract, Legitimate: COVID‐19 and Digital Techno‐opportunism across Africa
Regional2022-03-01Science DirectPolicy choices can help keep 4G and 5G universal broadband affordable
RegionalPan-Afrcican Payment & Settlement SystemPAPSS – Make instant and secure cross-border payments in local currencies across Africa

And that’s it! Naturally a review like this is subject to my own biases. What do you think deserved more emphasis in 2022? What did I miss? For interest, of the more than 140 news sources consulted for this review, here are the top ten news sources. Obviously there is a heavy English-language bias. Who should I be paying more attention to?

Publication# of articles referenced
ITWeb Africa58
Ecofin Agency32
TechCentral23
Developing Telecoms22
Capacity Media13
Telegeography Comms Update12
TechCabal11
Agence Ecofin9
Broadcast Media Africa9
ITWeb South Africa8



This work would not have been possible without the support of the Mozilla Corporation and the Association for Progressive Communications



Postscript:

Series Navigation<< Africa Telecoms Infrastructure in 2021African Telecommunications Infrastructure in 2023 >>

image sources

Posted by Steve Song

Local hands building local networks. Policy advisor @mozilla Consultant https://apc.org Collaborator @nsrcworld Founder @villagetelco