Telecoms

As part of its plan to pursue its 5G ambitions in the country, MTN wants to invest $215 million in infrastructure in the Republic of Benin.

South African telco Telkom is working with the South African Police Service to arrest individuals stealing its network cable and vandalising its infrastructure.

Egypt’s telecom regulator has granted Telecom Egypt a 15-year 5G licence for $150 million. This move makes the state-owned telco the first to receive a 5G licence in the country.

The Nigerian telecom regulator has settled the interconnect debt dispute between MTN Nigeria and Globacom. Temporarily suspending disconnection for an extra 21 days, the regulator instructs MTN not to disconnect Glo as initially planned.

South African telco Cell C is considering downsizing its workforce to cut expenses and enhance flexible operations. The telco describes the situation as challenging yet unavoidable.

Paratus South Africa has partnered with Eutelsat Group to provide unrestricted access to Internet connectivity in remote areas where network coverage is currently piss-poor or non-existent.

Vodafone and Microsoft have announced a 10-year partnership to provide generative AI, digital services, and cloud solutions to more than 300 million businesses and consumers in Africa and Europe.

Togocom, a Togolese telco and a subsidiary of AXIAN Telecom, has received $60.2 million from the International Finance Corporation, Société Générale Benin, and Ecobank Togo to expand its fibre network in the country. 

David Obwanga Adoyo, a Safaricom employee, has been charged with fraud after allegedly stealing over KSh 29.5 million from the National Police DT SACCO Society Limited and using people’s national ID numbers without their consent. 

Lyca Mobile, the world’s largest mobile virtual network, has shut down in South Africa after six years of operation. This move comes a month after Blue Label Telecoms increased its stake in Cell C, the MVNO’s partner company.

Glo subscribers may soon be unable to call MTN lines due to unpaid interconnect fees. This move comes after Nigerian telcos sought approval from the federal government to increase tariffs to alleviate high operating costs.

SpaceX has launched six direct-to-cell Starlink satellites to enable mobile phone connectivity anywhere in the world.

Segun Ogunsanya, who has been the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa since 2021, will step down, and Sunil Taldar, Director of Transformation for the Africa Group, will take over on July 1, 2024.

MTN Group is partnering with satellite communication companies, including OneWeb, Starlink, and AST SpaceMobile, to increase Internet connectivity in Africa’s rural areas.

MTN has launched a digital hub to bridge the skills gap in South Africa, which has the world’s highest unemployment rate. The telco plans to help 60% of adults and young people in the country have at least rudimentary digital skills by 2025.

The National Communication Authority of Ghana has warned Internet users not to use Starlink or its services. Per the regulator, the satellite Internet service hasn’t obtained a licence or type-approved its equipment.

MTN Group has appointed Selorm Adadevoh as its new CCO to replace Jens Schulte-Bockumn. Stephen Blewett will take over as CEO of MTN Ghana, while Schulte-Bockum will continue as a non-executive director.

Airtel Africa has launched Nxtra, a data centre, a year after opening a Tier 3 data centre in Lekki, Lagos. The new facility is expected to go live in mid-2025 and deliver 34 megawatts of total power, making it the first Nxtra facility in Lagos, Nigeria.

Following an increase in mobile subscribers, South African telecom operator Telkom requested that ICASA, the communications regulator, reschedule the spectrum auction to 2025.

MTN Nigeria is in talks to acquire 9Mobile’s only spectrum. Sources say the deal will be equivalent to a total takeover of 9Mobile by MTN, bringing its total mobile subscriber count to 89.6 million, 76% of Nigeria’s adult population.