Telecoms in Africa
The 15 African Countries with the Most Expensive Data
Image sourced from Iberdrola.com. Countries in Africa generally have some of the most expensive mobile data in the world due to several factors, including the unavailability of telecoms infrastructure and high taxation in the African telecom industry by governments. Many telecom firms may hold key monopolies and simply charge more for data because they can. In 2020, the median price for 1 GB of mobile data in Africa was more than $5 while the price per gig in the European Union (EU) was closer to $3.5 per gig, and while data is getting cheaper, there are still many countries in Africa with incredibly high mobile data prices. Increasing access to the internet is a key target for many developing nations as it promotes access to education and access to financial services, among other benefits...
IT Angola Rebrands, Joins the Paratus Fold
Offices of Paratus Angola in Luanda. Angolan telecommunications service provider, Internet Technologies Angola (ITA), has officially changed its name as part of an extensive rebranding and harmonisation process led by its parent company, the pan-African Paratus Group. ITA will, with immediate effect, operate under the name ‘Paratus Angola’. This identity establishes the company within the group’s broader network and pays homage to its Angolan roots from which a 19-year heritage was born. According to the announcement of the company’s rebranding, synergy of ITA’s brand identity with that of the wider Paratus Group is of strategic importance to the company’s overall vision to deliver efficient, affordable network solutions with the end goal of transforming the continent’s digital landscape. ...
Elon Musk’s Starlink to Provide Internet Services in Nigeria
Image sourced from Independent.co.uk. Elon Musk, a business magnate, announced that Starlink, a satellite internet service he launched through SpaceX, will be providing internet services to two countries in Africa including Nigeria. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) also confirmed this announcement, according to TechCabal. This follows a visit to Nigeria by the Starlink’s team in May last year to discuss the possibility of obtaining a licence. SpaceX, Musk’s spacecraft engineering company, announced early in May that Starlink now operates in 32 countries. Starlink will bring competition to the Nigerian market, taking on large telecoms like MTN and Airtel in a bid to bring stable internet connection to the country. “The company received two licenses, which include the Internation...
Orange Appoints New Leaders for Africa
Sourced from MSNBC. France’s Orange Group yesterday announced the appointment of new leaders across its B2B Africa and Middle East units in order to refocus and capitalise on the regions which have been seeing growth and spurred positive financials for the Group over recent quarters. Africa and the Middle East is currently one of Orange’s “major growth engines” having produced positive results in back to back quarters over recent years. The region contributed a year-on-year growth of 8.7% which equates to a cold $142-million, maintaining the overall Group revenue at a flat rate of 0.7% to $11.3-billion. The Group’s Africa and Middle-East arm continues to be one of the largest telecoms in the entire continent in terms of both revenue and customer spread. “Africa and the Middle East continue...
MTN Commits $1.5-Billion for Broadband Access Across Nigeria
Sourced from TheTechieGuy (https://thetechieguy.com/) MTN Nigeria plans to invest 640-billion naira (approximately US$1.5 billion) over the next three years to expand broadband access across the continent’s most populous country, in line with the federal government’s 2020-2025 National Broadband Plan and in support of MTN Group’s Ambition 2025 strategy. “Nigeria is one of our most important markets. We have a proud history of partnering with Nigeria and Nigerians to drive faster and more inclusive growth through digital transformation,” said MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita after a three-day visit to Abuja and Lagos, in which he met a number of key stakeholders. These included President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice President Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo; Minister of Communications and Digita...
