Digital transformation projects focused on younger end users have been highlighted this week in West Africa where operator Orange Liberia has signalled its support for digital literacy and the government of Guinea has targeted internet provision for schools.

UAE-based Space42 announced on Wednesday that its next-gen Thuraya-4 satellite is now globally available for customers in Europe, Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, with new markets including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia.

Pan-African telecoms and network services provider Paratus Group announced on Wednesday it has expanded its operations into Uganda via a joint venture with Kampala-based ISP and managed solutions provider Roke Telkom.

Axian Telecom’s fibre subsidiary, Axian Telecom Fibre, has completed the acquisition of 99.63% stake in Wananchi Group, a fixed broadband provider, as it looks to strengthen its position in high-demand fibre markets across East Africa.

There is bad news for operators in both Chad and Zambia, whose telecommunications regulators have highlighted what they see as serious quality of service (QoS) deficiencies in their mobile communications offerings.

Tanzania has been accused of shutting down internet access and restricting social media around recent elections that saw protests accusing the state of hindering democracy after the main opposition party, Chadema, was barred from participating, and its leader, Tundu Lissu, was arrested on treason charges.

Orange submarine cable subsidiary Orange Marine announced the construction of two new cable ships to boost the resilience of digital infrastructure across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Digital Realty has launched ACR2, its first data centre in Ghana, that it says will serve as a critical hub in Ghana’s digital ecosystem by connecting it to global markets and empowering businesses with highly connected infrastructure.

Ericsson said on Monday it has successfully completed MTN Nigeria’s first field trial of a triple-band FDD massive MIMO radio that integrates the telco’s entire 4G mid-band spectrum into a single, compact radio unit.

Two submarine cables – one linking the UAE and Kenya and the other linking Tunisia with France – have made news recently, the former thanks to a new launch, the latter because of a successful landing.

Automation and orchestration specialist Inmanta expanded its sovereign cloud automation offering to Africa, aiming to help telecom operators and datacentre providers boost efficiency and maintain data sovereignty as infrastructure investment accelerates across the continent.

Wingu Africa, a specialist provider of carrier-neutral, Tier III-standard data centres in East Africa, has entered a strategic partnership with Africa Data Centres, which operates the continent’s largest network of interconnected facilities.

Mozambique’s government has made 5G coverage compulsory in all provincial capitals, while scrapping its earlier plan to auction spectrum licences to mobile operators.

It may come as a surprise to some readers to hear that, more than three years after the telecommunications regulator laid the groundwork for MVNOs to come to market, only this week is Nigeria preparing to welcome its first virtual mobile operator (MVNO).

MTN MoMo South Africa is expanding its strategic collaboration with Mastercard in a bid to increase access to digital financial services and support greater financial inclusion across South Africa.

Singapore-headquartered global payment platform Thunesand pan-African financial institution Ecobank Group signed an agreement on Wednesday to collaborate on enabling instant cross-border payments for individuals and businesses across Sub-Saharan Africa, starting in Togo.

Safaricom has officially confirmed it is partnering with Meta subsidiary Edge Network Services to establish the Daraja subsea cable system that will connect Kenya and Oman.

Logistics solutions company DP World says it has launched the rollout of its Port Community System (PCS) platform in Kenya, marking what it calls a major milestone in the country’s journey towards more efficient and transparent trade.

Ownership of 5G phones in Nigeria is greatly outpacing coverage, leaving many users unconnected to 5G, according to a new report conducted by Ookla and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Two recent news stories – from Madagascar and Chad – indicate that some African regulators feel they need to respond strongly to public concerns about quality and cost of mobile services – although powers to enforce these responses often differ from country to country.

NEC Africa announced on Wednesday it has kicked off a project with Cote d'Ivoire’s Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Production that aims to improve and upgrade agricultural efficiency with digital technology.

The governments of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have held discussions on the extension of Tanzania’s National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB), which will, it is hoped, extend through Lake Tanganyika to the DRC province of Kalemie, on the western shore of the lake, by 2027.

Pan-African telecoms and network services provider Paratus Group announced on Wednesday that it is expanding into Rwanda, where it will provide and install Starlink LEO satellite services for businesses in the country.

Ethio Telecom and Djibouti Telecom announced that they are actively exploring new collaboration opportunities to deepen their ongoing partnership to advance integration in the broader East African digital ecosystem, including international gateways and mobile money.

South African telco Vodacom said on Sunday it plans to invest over ZAR660 million (US$38.2 million) in network infrastructure in Southern Gauteng this financial year to accelerate rollout of 4G and 5G.

UAE-based digital solutions firm Yango Group and China Mobile International (CMI) have reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop technology solutions for businesses in Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Ethio Telecom launched a new line of low-cost cloud-based smartphones on Thursday to not only boost uptake of its 4G network, but also address the problem of smartphone affordability that’s keeping millions of people from accessing digital services.

MTN’s digital infrastructure arm Bayobab said on Thursday it has signed an MoU with US-based AI company Seekr Technologies to offer AI-as-a-service (AIaaS) to private and public organisations across Africa, to include Bayobab’s connectivity services.

Global independent tower company IHS Towers announced on Thursday that it has officially completed the sale of its Rwanda unit and its approximately 1,467 sites to Paradigm Tower Ventures.

South African company fibertime, which says its aim is to connect townships to affordable world-class internet, is working with tech giant Nokia on expanding its fibre broadband access footprint to include an additional 400,000 homes located across South Africa’s underserved communities.

Subsea cable operator and managed connectivity service provider Seacom says it has signed an MoU with broadcast and digital services provider Sentech to accelerate the growth of small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa’s telecoms sector.

African data centre operator Raxio Group says it has signed an agreement with digital network operator Laser Light Africa to accelerate internet services for seven markets in sub-Saharan Africa, starting with Angola.