Ghana and Gambia are working together to implement the ECOWAS Free Roaming Initiative to reduce telecommunications costs for citizens travelling between the two countries and foster stronger economic and social ties. Spearheaded by Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA), Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, and mobile network operators (MNOs), the initiative aligns with ECOWAS’s broader regional integration and economic self-sufficiency goals.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will emerge from ongoing negotiations, enabling technical and regulatory discussions. Full implementation of the roaming regulations is planned for the first half of 2025, following the success of Ghana’s similar agreements with Côte d’Ivoire (February 2024), Benin (July 2024), and a trilateral deal with Togo and Benin (October 2024), which have already reduced costs and enhanced connectivity across the region.
Why does it matter?
That partnership highlights ECOWAS’s commitment to creating a seamless communication network and unified trade zone across West Africa. By expanding affordable cross-border telecommunications, such initiatives aim to build a robust digital infrastructure that fosters economic growth and regional cohesion. As Ghana and Gambia take steps to implement this initiative, they contribute to the broader vision of improving connectivity and integration across the ECOWAS region.
At the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against allowing AI to become the exclusive domain of wealthy nations. Speaking at the global forum, Xi called for stronger international governance and cooperation to ensure equitable access to AI technologies.
Xi highlighted China’s commitment to supporting developing countries, unveiling a joint initiative with G20 partners to improve access to scientific and technological innovations in the Global South. The Chinese leader also cautioned against protectionist policies, such as tariffs on Chinese goods, which he argued undermine global trade and the transition to green economies.
The remarks come as Xi tours Latin America, echoing similar criticisms of economic barriers he raised at the APEC forum in Peru. His appeal for openness and collaboration underscores China’s broader efforts to position itself as a champion of equitable global development.
MTN South Africa and Huawei have completed Africa’s first 5.5G network trial, marking a significant milestone in the region’s telecommunications landscape. The trial demonstrated the transformative potential of 5.5G technology, which offers key features such as 10 Gbps connection speeds, ten times the number of Internet of Things (IoT) connections, reduced latency, and improved energy efficiency.
These advancements represent a tenfold increase in network performance compared to current 5G networks, positioning South Africa at the forefront of digital innovation. Moreover, with ultra-fast speeds and advanced services like 24K extended reality (XR), high-speed Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), holographic conferencing, and enhanced private networks, 5.5G will not only drive the development of South Africa’s digital economy but also support new business opportunities.
In addition, it will bridge the digital divide, enabling previously unconnected regions and individuals to benefit from high-speed connectivity. As a result, this technological leap will be crucial in accelerating digital transformation, enhancing network efficiency, and creating new opportunities for consumers and enterprises across the country.
The successful trial utilised Huawei’s commercial SingleRAN technology, ultra-wideband, active-antenna units, and advanced beamforming techniques, ultimately achieving an ultra-high-speed experience of 8.6 Gbps. In particular, the trial leveraged millimetre wave and C-band spectrum resources in 5G standalone mode, showcasing the capabilities of 5.5G in real-world conditions.
Why does it matter?
Furthermore, the collaboration between MTN and Huawei reflects a shared vision of advancing Africa’s digital future by providing cutting-edge technologies and accelerating the region’s digital economy. As Huawei continues to support Africa’s development, this partnership demonstrates MTN’s ongoing commitment to innovation and the delivery of enhanced solutions that improve the lives of South Africans.
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with cBrain, a Danish digital solutions provider, to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation. The collaboration focuses on bridging the digital divide, fostering inclusive growth, and strengthening community resilience across the continent. The partnership will target key areas, including the development of digital public infrastructure, the enhancement of e-governance and public service delivery, the expansion of digital financial inclusion for underserved populations, and the integration of digital tools into climate resilience efforts.
A central initiative of this collaboration is the establishment of a Process Library at the UNDP Resilience Hub in Nairobi. The library will focus on developing and scaling best practices in governance, with an emphasis on inclusion, capacity-building, economic development, and resilience. These efforts are aligned with the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy and the UN sustainable development goals, reinforcing a shared vision for sustainable progress. By leveraging cBrain’s expertise and Denmark’s proven digitalisation strategies, the partnership aims to empower both governments and citizens while driving innovation, transparency, and equitable access across the continent.
Furthermore, the partnership places a strong emphasis on capacity development, equipping government officials and civil society organisations with the digital skills necessary to manage this transformation effectively. It also underscores the importance of private-sector involvement in Africa’s digital journey, drawing on Britain’s global experience in providing standardised solutions and integrating AI-driven tools. This collaboration serves as a model for international cooperation in digital governance, with a focus on knowledge sharing to disseminate best practices.
By empowering marginalised communities with access to digital and financial services, this initiative aims to unlock economic growth, enhance climate resilience, and pave the way for a more equitable and prosperous future for Africa.
ProFuturo and American Tower are expanding their digital education initiative to Nigeria, building on the success of a program initially launched in Kenya. The expansion aims to provide nearly 30,000 students in vulnerable communities across Africa and Latin America access to digital learning opportunities, addressing significant educational inequalities.
Central to this initiative is the training and empowerment of over 1,000 teachers, who will receive essential digital resources and innovative teaching methods to integrate technology into their classrooms effectively. By equipping educators with these tools, the collaboration seeks to bridge the digital divide, ensuring that underserved regions have access to the same educational resources as urban areas.
The partnership aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in promoting quality education and reducing inequalities while also aiming to reduce poverty and inequality within local communities. Additionally, American Tower’s Digital Communities initiative will establish technology-driven spaces that promote digital literacy, vocational training, and healthcare access, serving as vital hubs for learning and development.
Looking ahead to 2030, the partnership aspires to create lasting change, ensuring that all children can succeed in the digital economy and laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape in Nigeria and beyond.
The House of Representatives has introduced a significant bill to provide free internet services in selected public places throughout Nigeria. The initiative highlights the critical role of information and communications technology (ICT) in nation-building and seeks to bridge the digital divide by enhancing connectivity in essential sectors like education and healthcare.
The proposed law outlines various locations eligible for free internet access, including government offices, secondary and tertiary institutions, public hospitals, military barracks, libraries, parks, and transport terminals. Users will not be charged for connecting to these public internet access points, separate from backend services used in government operations. To ensure quality, the bill mandates a minimum internet speed of two megabytes per second per user, aligning with the National Broadband Plan.
To facilitate the effective implementation of the bill, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will oversee the rollout and set standards for public locations included in the initiative. They are required to develop a comprehensive implementation plan within one year of the law’s commencement, collaborating with federal, state, and local governments, as well as private sector entities.
The legislation encourages public-private partnerships to enhance service delivery, allowing private partners to offer supplemental internet services for a fee. Additionally, it promotes cost reduction by encouraging private service providers to exchange data tariffs through designated domestic internet protocol exchanges, ultimately improving access for users in areas where the programme is implemented.
Microsoft has announced plans to invest €4.3 billion over the next two years to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud infrastructure in northern Italy. The tech giant’s investment will establish the ItalyNorth cloud region as one of Microsoft’s largest data hubs in Europe, serving both the Mediterranean and North Africa. The move marks Microsoft’s largest-ever investment in Italy and is expected to significantly strengthen the country’s digital presence in the region.
Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President, Brad Smith, discussed the investment with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who welcomed the project, seeing it as a key development for Italy’s role in the Mediterranean’s digital landscape. This initiative follows broader discussions between the Italian government and global investors, including BlackRock, which is also looking at potential investments in data and energy infrastructure.
The surge in demand for AI and cloud services across industries, from gaming to e-commerce, is driving Microsoft’s global expansion efforts. In partnership with BlackRock, Microsoft had already launched a $30 billion fund aimed at AI-focused data centers and related infrastructure, initially targeting the U.S. and its partner countries.
The Philippines is actively pursuing public-private partnerships (PPPs) to enhance connectivity for millions of Filipinos in remote areas. Globe Telecom, along with other industry players, is leading efforts to construct new cell towers, with the initial phase focused on building 1,500 towers across major telecommunications providers like Globe, Smart Communications, and DITO Telecommunity.
That initiative highlights the country’s commitment to improving digital connectivity. Globe’s CEO, Ernest Cu, emphasises the importance of collaboration between the telecommunications industry and the government to tackle infrastructure challenges. Consequently, investments in network infrastructure are expected to boost access to digital services and create economic opportunities.
To facilitate the project, the task force has called for legislative reforms to simplify the permit process and ensure a stable power supply for cell towers. Nevertheless, with over 26% of Filipinos still offline as of early 2024, there is an urgent need to bridge the digital divide and foster a more inclusive digital economy.
The FCC has made a pivotal move to enhance broadband services across the United States by allocating additional spectrum in the 17.3-17.7 GHz band to non-geostationary satellite operators (NGSO), including notable providers like Starlink. The decision is designed to improve broadband speeds and increase accessibility, particularly for fixed-satellite services (FSS) directed toward stationary points on Earth, such as residential antennas.
Importantly, NGSO operators will share this newly allocated 1,300 megahertz of spectrum with geostationary satellite (GEO) operators. However, they must adhere to strict power limits and conditions to minimise interference.
Moreover, the FCC has emphasised that this spectrum allocation is part of a broader strategy to promote spectrum efficiency, stimulate competition, and expand high-speed internet access, especially in underserved and unserved communities. Consequently, this initiative seeks to drive innovation and facilitate deploying advanced services in areas lacking robust traditional internet infrastructure, effectively bridging the digital divide.
In response to concerns raised by geostationary satellite operators like EchoStar and DirectTV, who argued that NGSO operators should only have secondary access to prevent potential interference, the FCC determined that both NGSO and GEO operators would share the 17 GHz spectrum on a co-primary basis. However, it is worth noting that NGSO downlinks in the 17.7-17.8 GHz band will be afforded different interference protection from terrestrial services.
Kajeet, a leading provider of managed IoT connectivity solutions, and Mission Telecom, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing affordable and reliable broadband and investing in a movement of systemic change, collaborate to deliver transformative connectivity solutions that empower underserved communities nationwide. By harnessing the innovative capabilities of Kajeet’s Sentinel platform alongside Mission Telecom’s unlimited broadband access services, the partnership aims to bridge the digital divide and ensure that essential internet access reaches those who need it most.
Furthermore, Kajeet will soon equip Mission Telecom with mobile device management, policy enforcement, wireless data usage control, network security, and advanced analytics. As a result, this will enable increased access to educational resources, job-seeking tools, and opportunities for economic growth, ultimately enhancing the vital services provided to nonprofits, libraries, and academic institutions.
In addition to improving connectivity, Kajeet and Mission Telecom collaborate to enrich educational opportunities for individuals and families. By delivering reliable internet access, they seek to provide essential learning and personal development tools, including online educational resources and job-seeking platforms. Moreover, Kajeet’s advanced mobile device management and analytics capabilities will empower Mission Telecom to foster a supportive environment for students and learners, equipping them for success in today’s digital landscape.
Furthermore, Kajeet and Mission Telecom collaborate to champion equitable access to broadband services, promoting digital inclusion across communities. That partnership embodies a shared vision for a more inclusive society where technology catalyses positive change. By addressing systemic challenges and leveraging their combined strengths, they are dedicated to cultivating a culture of empowerment through connectivity, ensuring everyone can thrive in the digital economy.
