Telecoms
From telco data wars, to 5G, Techpoint Africa brings you the latest update on connectivity, telecom companies, Internet service providers, Internet infrastructure among others.
Top stories
MTN Nigeria posts ₦133.7bn profit in Q1 2025, ending a losing streak since 2023. Growth in data and digital services, plus Naira stability, fuel its recovery.
Last week, Legend Internet became the first Nigerian broadband firm to list on the NGX, floating 2B shares at ₦5.64 each and announcing plans to raise ₦150B to expand high-speed internet access nationwide.
Maroc Telecom’s Q1 2025 profit fell 5.9% due to regulatory fines and rising costs, reflecting broader challenges for Africa’s telecom sector amid currency pressures and infrastructure demands.
Djibouti’s strategic location has seen it pour investments worth about $200 million into submarine cables. Now it’s positioning itself as East Africa’s digital gateway.
MTN Group has confirmed a cybersecurity breach affecting customer data in some of its African markets. While core systems remain secure, the incident raises fresh concerns about data protection across the continent’s growing digital economy.
SADC plans to implement uniform mobile roaming charges, aiming to reduce cross-border costs, benefit consumers, and enhance regional connectivity.
MTN Group has reshuffled its leadership in East Africa. The move is part of MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy to deepen its platform and fintech growth across Africa.
Niger State has waived Right of Way fees to boost broadband access in rural areas, aligning with Nigeria’s digital goals and encouraging telecom investment for inclusive growth.
Vodacom has backed ICASA’s decision to block Starlink in South Africa, citing the importance of BEE laws requiring 30% black ownership for telecom operators.
Starlink has secured a 10-year license to operate in Lesotho, boosting rural internet access while regulatory hurdles continue to block its entry into South Africa.
Starlink has received approval to operate in Somalia, aiming to provide satellite internet access across the country and improve connectivity in remote and underserved regions.
The NCC is proposing a 12-month grace period for users to reclaim airtime from deactivated SIMs, a move aimed at protecting telecom consumers and boosting transparency.
MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita warns that US tech import tariffs could disrupt Africa’s telecom rollout, raising costs and delaying expansion as operators navigate global trade tensions.
MTN Group will develop a new streaming platform, to compete with Netflix, Showmax, and Prime Video in Africa in partnership with UK-based video software provider, Synamedia.
Equinix has launched its LG2.3 data centre in Lagos, boosting Nigeria’s digital economy and signalling its intent to dominate Africa’s growing tech infrastructure market.
MTN South Africa has completed Africa’s first satellite phone call using a standard smartphone, marking a key step toward expanding mobile coverage in underserved regions.
Despite fierce competition between both companies, MTN and Airtel—both Nigerian telecom giants—will collaborate on infrastructure sharing to ensure proper service delivery to customers.
Kenyan court clears Safaricom in reverse call lawsuit, reigniting IP concerns for African innovators
Kenya’s High Court has dismissed a reverse call lawsuit against Safaricom, raising fresh concerns over how African innovators can protect their ideas in a fast-moving tech landscape.
Airtel Africa has launched an AI-powered spam alert service in Nigeria to combat SMS fraud. The service will detect and label spam messages in real time.
Telkom Kenya secures a $4.4M grant from Rakuten and Airspan to develop Open RAN technology, enhancing mobile connectivity and reducing infrastructure costs across Kenya.