Industry News

Huawei reported broadly stable financial performance for 2025, striking a note of resilience at a time when much of the global technology sector has been grappling with volatility and shifting investment cycles.

The Chinese vendor posted annual revenue of CNY880.9 billion (US$128 billion), up 2.2% year-on-year. Net profit reached CNY68 billion (US$9.9 billion), rising from CNY62.6 billion a year earlier and broadly in line with its own forecasts.

R&D remained a central pillar of Huawei’s strategy. The company ploughed CNY192.3 billion (US$28 billion) – equivalent to 21.8% of revenue – back into R&D during the year, taking total investment over the past decade to more than CNY1.38 trillion (US$200 billion).

Rotating chairwoman Sabrina Meng described overall performance as “steady”, crediting customers, partners and employees for supporting the company through a challenging period.

Across its business lines, Huawei painted a mixed but broadly stable picture. Its core connectivity division navigated the ebb and flow of operator investment cycles, while the computing unit benefited from rising demand linked to AI workloads. The consumer business, long under pressure, showed signs of recovery as the company pushed forward with its HarmonyOS ecosystem. HarmonyOS 5 and HarmonyOS 6 were deployed on 26 million devices over the past year, supported by an ecosystem of more than 10 million developers.

Elsewhere, Huawei Cloud focused on strengthening core capabilities, digital power prioritised quality, and its automotive unit continued to scale rapidly as interest in intelligent vehicle technologies grows.

Looking ahead, Huawei signalled it will double down on its long-term strategy, with continued heavy investment in areas such as connectivity, cloud, AI and intelligent driving. The company is also seeking to build out ecosystems around its Ascend and Kunpeng chips and HarmonyOS platform, with an emphasis on collaboration.

“We are moving toward a future that is full of uncertainty, so we have to remain true to our strategy and maintain strategic focus. We will translate strategy to execution, keep cultivating the developer ecosystem, and pursue high-quality development,” said Meng.

Source : www.developingtelecoms.com

From a small kitchen workshop in 1876 to a global telecoms leader in 2026, Ericsson’s 150-year journey highlights a continuous evolution driven by communication innovation and industrial transformation.

While April 1 is widely associated with jokes and pranks globally, Ericsson has chosen the date for a very different kind of celebration in 2026, marking its 150th anniversary since being founded in 1876.

The company traces its origins to April 1, 1876, when founder Lars Magnus Ericsson opened a small telegraph repair workshop, L.M. Ericsson & Co., in a kitchen located in a Stockholm courtyard in Sweden. At the time, he was 30 years old and worked alongside Carl Johan Anderson and an errand boy, Gabriel Bildsten. The workshop’s first recorded customer was the Stockholm Fire Department, which paid just 2 Swedish kronor for instrument repairs.

The founding period coincided with a major global breakthrough in communications technology, as Alexander Graham Bell had recently secured the first patent for the telephone. This parallel development quickly influenced Ericsson’s early work, as the company transitioned from repairing instruments to designing and producing telephone equipment, laying the groundwork for its rapid growth.

Over the following decades, Ericsson expanded significantly, helping to make Sweden one of the most telephone-dense countries in the world by the end of the 19th century. The company’s growth also created hundreds of jobs and led to multiple relocations as demand increased for its increasingly popular and affordable communication devices.

Throughout the 20th century, Ericsson became known for both its consumer innovations and its role in shaping global telecommunications standards. It played a major role in the development of mobile systems in the 1980s and later helped define modern mobile network standards, transitioning from telegraphy and telephony into programmable digital networks.

Today, Ericsson is also involved in modern mission-critical communications infrastructure, including its work with Sweden’s Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) systems under the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), continuing its long-standing focus on secure and reliable connectivity

From a small kitchen workshop in 1876 to a global telecoms leader in 2026, Ericsson’s 150-year journey highlights a continuous evolution driven by communication innovation and industrial transformation.

Source :  www.techafricanews.com

This call was made during MTN’s Women @ Y’ello (W@Y) event held to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026. The event also celebrated the leadership journey of 14-year-old Oreoluwa Alayande, winner of the 2025 MTN mPulse Spelling Bee, who took on the symbolic role of MTN CEO for a day.

Speaking on the event theme, “Give to Gain: Advancing Rights, Justice and Action for All Women and Girls,” MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Karl Toriola, emphasised that organisations must move beyond symbolic gestures to provide tangible support for women’s advancement. “If we are advancing the women’s cause, we must make sacrifices for it,” he said, stressing that companies should intentionally prioritise women in leadership development and recruitment. According to him, MTN is working deliberately to achieve gender balance across all leadership levels.

Delivering her keynote address, Eyitope Kola-Oyeneyin, Independent Non-Executive Director at MTN Nigeria, highlighted that impactful mentorship does not always stem from formal relationships. Drawing from her own career experiences, she noted that many of her most valuable lessons came from observing senior women who inspired her through their actions, not structured programmes. She encouraged young women to embrace “learning from afar” by listening, watching, and applying insights from those who have travelled the path ahead. She further urged experienced women to share their stories at every opportunity. “A lot of things are often caught and not taught. By supporting someone or simply being around them, you can learn so much,” she said.

Also speaking at the event, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Enterprise Business Officer, underscored that empowering women opens broader opportunities across society. She stressed the need for sustained corporate initiatives that support women at every stage of their careers and across all industries.

In her remarks, Esther Akinnukawe, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Human Resources Officer, reminded participants that empowerment must be seen as a continuous journey rather than a one-off activity.

Source : www.vanguardngr.com

The National Communications Authority (NCA) Ghana has convened its final national preparatory meeting ahead of the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27), as the country seeks to sharpen its position on global spectrumgovernance.

The three-day meeting in Accra brings together industry players, regulators and government agencies to review earlier proposals and consolidate national positions before regional engagements with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Telecommunication Union.

Director General Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko said the consultations form part of a broader effort to deepen stakeholder participation and align national priorities with global regulatory frameworks.

‘‘Your presence here today is a strong testament to the shared commitment of our stakeholders across the communications ecosystem to shape Ghana’s strategic voice in global spectrum governance. As we are all aware, the radio frequency spectrum is very important in today’s digital interconnected world. It underpins virtually every facet of our modern life from mobile communications [and] broadband connectivity to broadcasting, satellite services, aviation, maritime operation and scientific research.’’

He added that the finite nature of spectrum resources makes coordinated global management essential, a process led through the World Radiocommunication Conference under the International Telecommunication Union.

The meeting follows an initial preparatory session held in April 2025 and is expected to shape the country’s contributions at upcoming regional discussions, which will feed into the global conference scheduled for 2027.

Deputy Director of Engineering Naa Amorkor Asihene said the process is critical to ensuring efficient spectrum use and global harmonization.

She noted that the Conference played a critical role in ensuring the efficient use of spectrum resources while also promoting global harmonisation, economies of scale, and equipment interoperability.

Deputy Director of Engineering Naa Amorkor Asihene 

Fianko urged participants to align technical expertise with long-term policy priorities as deliberations continue.

‘‘As we prepare as a country for WRC-27, it is important that we put together coherent positions on the various agenda items. Your deliberations over the coming days are of critical importance. They must be informed by both technical expertise and strategic foresight. Your insights will therefore play a pivotal role in refining Ghana’s positions across the various agenda items,’’ he stated.

Participants include representatives from the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, mobile network operators, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and the Ghana Maritime Authority, among others.

Held every three to four years, the World Radiocommunication Conference is organized by the ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau and serves as the primary global forum for revising the rules governing the use of radio frequency spectrum and satellite orbits.

Souece : www. cedirates.com

The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has called on stakeholders to invest more in artificial intelligence (AI) for accelerated development of the country.

“The government cannot build the country’s AI future alone. We need the ingenuity of researchers, creativity of startups, investment from the private sector, and wisdom from civil society and international partners. Collective action will determine our progress,” he said.

The minister was speaking at a national validation workshop on UNESCO’s Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Methodology (AI RAM) in Accra yesterday.

The AI RAM is a diagnostic tool used to evaluate a country’s capacity in governance, infrastructure, data and skills for AI development. It seeks to identify gaps and guide policy actions.  

Participants would review findings, confirm priorities and build consensus for implementation.

Mobile penetration

Mr George said mobile penetration in the country exceeded 110 per cent, with over 38 million subscriptions, and a growing ICT sector contributing significantly to the economy.

He said the nation’s AI strategy, which would officially be launched on April 24, 2026, would drive AI adoption in agriculture, health care and finance to help farmers improve productivity, support medical diagnostics and expand financial inclusion.

“Throughout history, successful nations have prepared early, they have invested boldly, and they have governed wisely.

“Now it is Ghana’s moment to lead once again by building a dynamic, responsible, and inclusive AI ecosystem that drives economic growth and national prosperity.

Together, we can build a digital Ghana that works for every single citizen,” the minister said. 

Significance

The UNESCO Representative to Ghana and Director of UNESCO Accra Office, Edmond Moukala N’Gouemo, described AI as a present-day force, shaping societal systems and governance.

He emphasised the need for strong institutions, inclusive policies and human-centred approaches to manage its impact.

While stressing the importance of bridging digital gaps, building skills and ensuring transparency, Mr N’Gouemo called for accountability and collaboration across sectors to achieve sustainable and inclusive AI-driven development.

“AI is not a generic tool to be imported. It must be homegrown, reflecting the local context while adhering to global ethical standards,” he said. 

Safeguard

The Executive Director of Data Protection Commission (DPC), Dr Arnold Kavaarpuo, also said that AI was reshaping how societies determined truth.

He said strong data protection frameworks, accountability systems and institutional capacity were essential to safeguard rights, while allowing innovation to advance responsibly.

For his part, the Secretary General of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, Dr Osman Tahidu Damba, said the country was playing an active role in shaping ethical AI adoption within global frameworks.

Source : www.graphic.com.gh

Tower company Helios Towers has signed an agreement to invest more than $110 million on network infrastructure in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Helios, along with the Agence Nationale pour la Promotion des Investissements (ANAPI), which is the government body responsible for promoting investment and improving the DRC’s business climate, will support the expansion of mobile networks across the country.

Helios has been operating in the DRC market since 2011, where the company owns nearly 2,800 telecom infrastructure sites. During this period, Helios notes that it has invested more than $700m in the country.

As part of the agreement, Helios said that it will deploy new sites in both urban and rural parts of the country. The towerco has also pledged to bolster the energy and operational resilience of networks.

The company adds that it will extend connectivity in underserved areas, will develop local skills, and continue to push sustainable energy initiatives.

“Fifteen years after we entered the DRC, this agreement marks a new stage in our long-term commitment to the country. It allows us to accelerate investment in our essential infrastructure that powers connectivity, economic growth, and digital inclusion to unlock the nation’s potential,” said Maixent Bekangba, managing director, Helios Towers DRC.

Rachel Pungu Luamba, director general, ANAPI, added: “This agreement reflects our government’s commitment to creating an attractive environment that encourages strategic investment in our digital infrastructure. Through stable and transparent partnership with the private sector, such as this, we will accelerate the rollout of these vital networks that will create opportunities for growth across the whole economy.”

Helios Towers operates close to 15,000 towers across nine markets, including Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Ghana, South Africa, Senegal, Madagascar, and Malawi.

Source : www.datacenterdynamics.com

The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) closed the first quarter of 2026 on a subdued note, with the GSE Composite Index (GSE-CI) slipping 35.43 points to finish at 13,060.13, as selling pressure in banking stocks offset gains in telecommunications.

Trading data for the 7,182nd session, held on March 31, 2026, showed elevated activity as investors positioned themselves ahead of the quarter-end, with total volume surging to 6,522,556 shares and aggregate value hitting GH¢39,027,143.05.

Market capitalisation settled at GH¢243.73 billion, reflecting a modest pullback from Monday’s close as the market wrapped up a volatile first three months of the year.

MTN Ghana leads gainers

Scancom PLC (MTNGH) continued its recovery from last week’s steep declines, adding GH¢0.12 to close at GH¢5.40. The telecommunications heavyweight was the most actively traded counter by a wide margin, with 5,425,723 shares changing hands—accounting for more than 83 per cent of all trading activity—and contributing GH¢29,280,069.98 to total market value.

Cocoa Processing Company PLC (CPC) recorded a gain of GH¢0.01 to close at GH¢0.11, while Clydestone (Ghana) PLC (CLYD) traded at GH¢1.08, though its closing price remained unchanged at GH¢0.99.

Banking stocks extend decline

GCB Bank PLC (GCB) led the laggards, plunging GH¢2.99 to close at GH¢27.06, with 233,976 shares traded. Societe Generale Ghana PLC (SOGEGH) fell GH¢0.18 to GH¢6.49, while Ecobank Transnational Inc. (ETI) shed GH¢0.14 to GH¢1.49.

Enterprise Group PLC (EGL) declined by GH¢0.23 to GH¢11.77, while SIC Insurance Company PLC (SIC) dipped GH¢0.04 to GH¢3.30. Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL) edged down GH¢0.04 to GH¢7.84, and Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC (SCB) eased GH¢0.07 to GH¢71.40.

BOPP holds steady

Benso Palm Plantation PLC (BOPP) maintained its historic triple-digit price level, closing unchanged at GH¢100.00, with 2,849 shares traded, contributing GH¢284,900 to total market value.

Unchanged Stocks

A significant number of stocks recorded no price movement during Tuesday’s session, including Access Bank (ACCESS), Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), AngloGold Ashanti (AGA), Aluworks (ALW), Asante Gold Corporation (ASG), Atlantic Lithium (ALLGH), Cal Bank (CAL), Camelot (CMLT), Dannex Ayrton Starwin (DASPHARMA), Ecobank Ghana (EGH), Fan Milk (FML), First Atlantic Bank (FAB), Guinness Ghana Breweries (GGBL), Mega African Capital (MAC), PBC, Republic Bank (RBGH), Trust Bank Gambia (TBL), TotalEnergies (TOTAL), Tullow Oil (TLW), Unilever (UNIL), and NewGold (GLD).

On the Ghana Alternative Market, all stocks remained unchanged.

Quarter in review

The GSE-CI has now gained 48.91 per cent since the start of the year, while the financial stocks index remains up 71.86 per cent year-to-date, despite the sharp correction from record highs reached in mid-March.

The benchmark index touched an all-time high of 15,908.77 on March 18 before shedding nearly 18 per cent over the subsequent two weeks. The volatility reflected a combination of profit-taking in heavily weighted stocks, particularly MTN Ghana and banking counters, following an extraordinary rally earlier in the quarter.

Tuesday’s session brought the first quarter to a close, with investors now looking ahead to corporate earnings announcements and the broader macroeconomic outlook for the remainder of the year.

Source : www.graphic.com.gh

Adoption of the Income Statements and the Balance Sheets
The AGM resolved to adopt the Income Statement and the Balance Sheet for the Company as well as the Consolidated Income Statement and the Consolidated Balance Sheet for the Group for 2025.

Dividend
The proposed dividend of SEK 3.00 per share was approved by the AGM. The dividend will be paid in two installments: SEK 1.50 per share with the record date April 2, 2026, and SEK 1.50 per share with the record date September 29, 2026. Euroclear Sweden AB is expected to disburse SEK 1.50 per share on April 9, 2026, and SEK 1.50 per share on October 2, 2026.

Remuneration report
The AGM resolved to adopt the Board of Directors’ remuneration report for 2025.

Discharge from liability
The members of the Board and the President were discharged from liability for the financial year 2025.

Board of Directors
The AGM elected Board members in accordance with the proposal of the Nomination Committee. Jan Carlson was re-elected as Chair of the Board and Jon Fredrik Baksaas, Christian Cederholm, Börje Ekholm, Eric A. Elzvik, Marachel Knight, Kristin S. Rinne, Jonas Synnergren, Jacob Wallenberg, Christy Wyatt and Karl Åberg were re-elected as Board members. It was also noted that the unions have appointed Ulf Rosberg, Loredana Roslund and Annika Salomonsson as employee representatives in the Board of Directors with Frans Frejdestedt, Andreas Larsson and Stefan Wänstedt as deputies.

Board of Directors’ Fees
The AGM resolved on fees to the Board of Directors, in accordance with the Nomination Committee’s proposal, entailing a yearly fee of SEK 5,200,000 to the Chair of the Board, and fees of SEK 1,400,000 to each of the other non-employee members of the Board, elected by the AGM. Fees for Committee work to non-employee members of the Committees, elected by the AGM, were approved as follows: SEK 600,000 to the Chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee and SEK 335,000 to each of the other members of the Audit and Compliance Committee, SEK 250,000 to the Chair of the Enterprise Business and Technology Committee and SEK 205,000 to each of the other members of the Enterprise Business and Technology Committee, SEK 240,000 to each of the Chairs of the Finance Committee and the Remuneration Committee, and SEK 200,000 to each of the other members of the Finance Committee and the Remuneration Committee.

In addition to the fees described above, the AGM resolved, in accordance with the Nomination Committee’s proposal, that additional compensation be paid to non-employee Board members elected by the AGM for each physical Board meeting attended in Sweden as follows: 

Residence of Board member	Compensation per meeting
Nordic Countries	None
Europe (non-Nordic)	EUR 2,000
Outside of Europe	USD 5,000

The AGM approved the Nomination Committee’s proposal that part of the fees to the members of the Board, in respect of their Board assignment (excluding fees for Committee work and meeting fees), may be paid in the form of synthetic shares.

Auditor
The AGM re-elected Deloitte AB as auditor for the period up until the end of the AGM 2027 and approved the Nomination Committee’s proposal for the auditor fees. 

Long-Term Variable Compensation Programs
Long-Term Variable Compensation Program 2026 (LTV 2026)
The AGM resolved to approve the Board of Directors’ proposal on: 

• implementation of LTV 2026 for the Executive Team, including the President and CEO, and for employees classified as Executives (currently approximately 180 employees) comprising a maximum of 7.4 million B-shares in Ericsson. “Performance Share Awards” will be granted free of charge entitling the participant to receive a number of shares, free of charge, following the expiration of a three-year vesting period, provided that certain performance conditions are met and that the participant retains his or her employment. The 7.4 million B-shares covered by LTV 2026 correspond to approximately 0.22 percent of the total number of registered shares of the Company;

• transfer of no more than 6.2 million B-shares, free of consideration, to employees covered by the terms of LTV 2026, with an authorization for the Board of Directors to decide to, in conjunction with the delivery of vested shares under LTV 2026, prior to the AGM 2027, retain and sell no more than 70% of the vested B-shares on Nasdaq Stockholm at a price within the, at each time, prevailing price interval for the share, in order to cover for the costs for withholding and paying tax and social security liabilities on behalf of the participants in relation to the Performance Share Awards for remittance to revenue authorities; and
• authorization for the Board of Directors to decide to transfer no more than 1.2 million B-shares on Nasdaq Stockholm, prior to the AGM 2027 at a price within the, at each time, prevailing price interval for the share, to cover certain expenses, mainly social security payments.

Amendment of the terms of the Long-Term Variable Compensation Program LTV 2025
The AGM resolved to approve the Board of Directors’ proposal on:

• an amendment of the terms of LTV 2025 to adapt the terms to the new performance measure that will be used due to the Company’s planned implementation of IFRS 18;
• transfer of no more than 10.9 million B-shares, free of consideration, to employees covered by the terms of LTV 2025, with an authorization for the Board of Directors to decide to, in conjunction with the delivery of vested shares under LTV 2025, prior to the AGM 2027, retain and sell no more than 70% of the vested B-shares on Nasdaq Stockholm at a price within the, at each time, prevailing price interval for the share, in order to cover for the costs for withholding and paying tax and social security liabilities on behalf of the participants in relation to the Performance Share Awards for remittance to revenue authorities; and
• authorization for the Board of Directors to, prior to the AGM 2027, decide to transfer no more than 1.8 million B-shares on Nasdaq Stockholm at a price within the, at each time, prevailing price interval for the share, to cover certain expenses, mainly social security payments.

Authorizations on transfer of treasury stock on an exchange for previously resolved LTV programs I 2023, II 2023 and 2024
The AGM resolved to approve the Board of Directors’ proposals on: 

• authorization for the Board of Directors to decide to, prior to the AGM 2027, transfer of no more than 3.5 million B-shares on Nasdaq Stockholm at a price within the, at each time, prevailing price interval for the share, to cover certain expenses, mainly social security payments, which may occur in relation to the previously resolved and ongoing LTV programs LTV I 2023, LTV II 2023 and LTV 2024; and 
• authorization for the Board of Directors to decide to, in conjunction with the delivery of vested shares under, LTV I 2023, LTV II 2023 and LTV 2024, prior to the AGM 2027, retain and sell no more than 70% of the vested B-shares on Nasdaq Stockholm at a price within the, at each time, prevailing price interval for the share, in order to cover for the costs for withholding and paying tax and social security liabilities on behalf of the participants in relation to the Performance Share Awards for remittance to revenue authorities. 
• Purchase of own shares
  The AGM resolved to approve the Board of Directors’ proposal on authorization for the Board of Directors to, on one or several occasions prior to the AGM 2027, decide on the purchase of the Company’s own shares of series B. The number of shares purchased must at no time result in the Company’s holding exceeding 10 percent of all the shares in the Company. The purchases are to be made on Nasdaq Stockholm in accordance with the price limitations set out in Nasdaq Nordic Main Market Rulebook for Issuers of Shares. The purpose of the authorization is to give the Board of Directors wider freedom of action in the work with the Company’s capital structure and thereby contribute to increased shareholder value, as well as to enable purchases of shares to be used within the framework of the Company’s share-related incentive programs. 
• Shares and votes
  There are in total 3,371,351,735 shares in the Company; 261,755,983 A-shares and 3,109,595,752 B-shares, corresponding to in total 572,715,558.2 votes. The Company’s holding of treasury stock as of March 31, 2026, amounts to 38,002,276 B-shares, corresponding to 3,800,227.6 votes.

Source : www.ericsson.com

Huawei rotating chairwoman Meng Wanzhou outlined confidence in the vendor’s strategy despite facing up to an uncertain future, as the company reported 2025 revenue and net profit which it said was in line with forecasts.

In light of looming challenges, Meng said: “We have to remain true to our strategy and maintain our strategic focus. We will translate strategy to execution, keep cultivating the developer ecosystem and pursue high-quality development.”

In the company’s annual report, Meng said 2025 performance remained “steady”, with revenue increasing 2.2 per cent year-on-year to CNY880.9 billion ($126 billion). Net profit reached CNY68 billion, up from CNY62.6 billion. 

Breaking out business segments, there were slight gains in ICT Infrastructure and Consumer, growing 2.6 per cent and 1.6 per cent to CNY375 billion and CNY344.5 billion respectively.

Its Intelligent Automative Solution division experienced the strongest growth, up 72.1 per cent to CNY45 billion, while Cloud Computing dropped 3.5 per cent to CNY32.2 billion.

Meng pointed out its connectivity business “weathered the impact of industry investment cycles”, while adding its computing unit was beginning to tap into the AI opportunity.

On consumer, she said it worked to overcome “formidable challenges”, pointing to the HarmonyOS ecosystem which crossed “a new threshold in user experience”. 

More than 36 million devices ran HarmonyOS 5 and HarmonyOS 6 at the end of 2025, with more than 10 million developers signed up to the platform, added Huawei.

Patents and R&D
Huawei revealed its R&D expenses totalled CNY192.3 billion, representing 21.8 per cent of total revenue, with 114,000 employees working in the division by the end of 2025.

In total, the company said it has spent CNY1.4 trillion on R&D over the last decade.

This outlay has led to the company holding 165,000 active granted patents, and by the end of 2025 Huawei signed more than 260 licence agreements.

Source : www.mobileworldlive.com

African ministers and partners have adopted a declaration agreeing to develop telecoms infrastructure as a strategic pan-African foundation for sovereignty, resilience, inclusion and economic transformation.

The Algiers Declaration on African Telecommunications Sovereignty and Integrated Connectivity (2026–2030) was adopted on Sunday in Algiers at the end of a ministerial summit during the first Global Africa Tech event, which wrapped up on Monday.

The declaration lays out a shared commitment to deliver meaningful and affordable connectivity for all, with priority to rural and underserved communities.

The declaration also calls for building integrated continental infrastructure that links terrestrial, subsea and satellite networks; strengthening local digital infrastructure such as data centres, internet exchange points and trusted cloud capabilities; and protecting critical telecoms infrastructure and enhancing resilience and cybersecurity.

Signatories also pledged to promote trusted, secure, and interoperable digital ecosystems, and invest in human capital and local industry to anchor long-term digital sovereignty.

William Kabogo Gitau, cabinet secretary for Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy (MICDE), said in a Facebook post on Sunday that the Algiers Declaration recognises that the digital divide is not only a development challenge, but a question of sovereignty and that inclusion and sovereignty must advance together.

“As a continent, we must now focus on implementation, coordination, and measurable progress ensuring that this shared vision translates into tangible outcomes for our citizens,” Gitau said. “Africa is moving with clarity and purpose towards a connected, resilient, and sovereign digital future.”

Five priorities for the work ahead

The Algeria Declaration builds on the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy (2020–2030), which calls for inclusive, secure, and scalable digital platforms as the foundation for long-term growth and for enabling digital transformation strategies adopted by governments across the continent.

Selma Malika Haddadi, deputy chairperson of the AU’s African Union Commission (AUC), said in a keynote address at Global Africa Tech on Saturday that while various countries across Africa have made individual progress in developing their own digital infrastructure and striking interconnectivity agreements, more needs to be done to unify those efforts for Africa as a whole to reach its full digital potential.

“No matter how interoperable our systems become, no matter how advanced our networks grow, no matter how many platforms, protocols and networks we develop, they will remain incomplete if they are not underpinned by a shared continental and political will,” Haddadi said. “We cannot build systems that connect Africans if we remain disconnected in vision. We cannot build a trusted continental infrastructure without also building trust in one another. We cannot speak of interoperability while tolerating fragmentation of purpose. Pan-Africanism reminds us that Africa rises most strongly when it acts in coherence.”

Haddadi illustrated the scope of the work ahead with statistics from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) showing that mobile broadband covered 86% of Africa’s population at the end of 2024, yet 14% still had no way of connecting at all, especially in rural areas where that figure rose to 25%.

“Even more telling is the usage gap: millions live within network coverage, yet remain excluded by the cost of devices, the cost of data, limited digital skills, and low trust in digital systems,” she said. “This is not a marginal issue for the Africa we are building.”

Haddadi outlined five priorities that should guide work going forward: a resilient and diversified connectivity architecture across land, sea, and emerging space-based systems, closing the usage gap with affordable services and digital literacy, localisation of compute and data capacity, interoperability and reduction of regulatory fragmentation, and cross-border spectrum and technical coordination.

“The moving pieces are already in place,” she said. “What is now required is disciplined alignment, deliberate investment, and collective resolve.”

Source : www.developingtelecoms.com