From Connectivity to Capability: Powering Africa's Next Digital Leap
13 October 2025
Alain Maupin, Head of Ericsson East and North Africa
Africa is at a pivotal digital inflection point. Mobile broadband continues to expand swiftly, and early-stage 5G rollouts are gaining traction across the continent.
Yet, connectivity is just the beginning – the real impact lies in how it powers capability across society: remote healthcare, digital education, financial inclusion, e-government services and tech-driven entrepreneurship. Africa's next chapter will not be defined merely by the number of connected users or towers built. It will be defined by the capabilities those connections unlock from education and healthcare to entrepreneurship and governance. As governments and societies strive for inclusive growth, telecommunications operators are evolving into technology providers, reshaping economies and redefining digital potential. This transformation is not just possible – it is already happening, driven by strategic vision, localised innovation and purposeful collaboration.
Read the full article Travel eSIM: why North African operators are handing away 90% of their own revenues
07 October 2025
Darren Shaw, Chief Product Officer, eSIM Go
Today, North African MNOs are keeping less than 10-20% of the value of travel eSIM data consumed on their own networks by inbound roamers. The rest flows straight to international eSIM vendors.
Travellers are connecting, operators are carrying the traffic — but the revenue is leaving the country. Outbound subscribers are doing the same when they travel, abandoning high-margin roaming domestic bundles for global eSIM brands. Operators are being disintermediated in both directions.
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Africa’s connectivity landscape: the challenges and solutions, and the role of satellite technology
07 October 2025
Kallie Carlsen, MD of Paratus South Africa
The demand for increased connectivity across Africa is determined and shaped by the continent’s unique geography, population distribution and infrastructure. Africa spans vast geographical areas with low population density and this makes traditional infrastructure deployment expensive and therefore both economically and logistically challenging.
Another major challenge in many regions is unreliable power infrastructure. This means that these countries need connectivity solutions that have low power requirements or independent and backup power sources. Another complication is limited terrestrial infrastructure, with fibre connectivity being concentrated in urban centres and coastal regions. At the same time, there is an urgent need for affordable solutions, given the economic constraints across most markets, as well as resilience due to all the harsh environmental conditions and infrastructure vulnerabilities.
Read the full article Financing the future: How safe BNPL is unlocking Africa’s smartphone revolution
06 October 2025
Carmen van Heerden, Commercial Director MEA, Trustonic
In Africa, a smartphone is far more than a sleek device — it’s a passport to education, healthcare, banking, and economic opportunity. From students in Ghana who boost their grades by using smartphones for homework, to farmers leveraging apps like Esoko to command better crop prices, the impact of connectivity is undeniable. Mobile health platforms such as HelloDoctor and Vula Mobile are bringing medical advice and diagnostics to rural areas once considered unreachable.
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