South Africa’s 5G population coverage surged from 46.6% to 58% in a single year, the biggest network coverage jump recorded in communications regulator Icasa’s latest State of the ICT Sector report — but rural areas remain drastically underserved, with some provinces offering next-generation connectivity to as few as 7% of their rural populations. The national…
In rural sub-Saharan Africa, access to clean drinking water often depends on a simple technology: the handpump. These manually operated systems pump water out of the ground for more than 184 million people. Yet despite their importance, research has found that at least 100,000 handpumps out of the 500,000 to 1.3 million in use in…
A new United Nations report has warned that global water inequality remains one of the most pressing development challenges of the decade, with billions still lacking safe drinking water and sanitation – while women and girls continue to bear the heaviest burden of water insecurity. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2026, titled Water…
Despite global trends towards consolidation, unique conditions across sub-Saharan Africa call for infrastructure specialisation, according to SES. There is a trend towards consolidation in the telecommunications sector, largely driven by rising infrastructure costs and shrinking margins as data overtakes voice as the primary communication medium. In the African context, MTN Group’s recent announcement that its…
Bentol, Montserrado County — FACE Africa, a Liberia and U.S.-based nonprofit organization, has completed and dedicated 71 new household latrines, one hand pump and one solar-powered water tower in rural Bentol City, Montserrado County. The day of the ceremony was a vibrant and joyful celebration hosted in Belekpoi Town and included local leadership and WASH…
Paul Colmer, executive member of WAPA. After years of planning, trials and technical validation, dynamic spectrum sharing has moved from regulatory aspiration to proven reality – and it happened faster than anyone in the industry expected. In late January 2026, stakeholders gathered in KwaZulu-Natal to witness the culmination of field trials that could fundamentally reshape…
Africa faces a major rural road access challenge, with nearly 60 per cent of its population unable to reach all-weather roads, a gap that continues to limit economic opportunities and access to essential services. Experts say Rwanda’s experience in expanding rural connectivity offers practical lessons that could help narrow the continent’s rural road deficit. This…
AdNotes Pty Ltd and partners outside the newly established Olwandle High School Computer Lab. AdNotes, an award-winning internet service provider (ISP) in South Africa, is transforming education in rural and hard-to-reach areas by bridging the digital divide. With reliable internet connectivity and state-of-the-art computer labs, supported by key partners including the Council for Scientific and…
Maziv CEO Dietlof Mare Maziv, the fibre network operator in which Vodacom is buying a 30% co-controlling stake, wants to connect the more than 8 000 cellular base stations in South Africa that are not already connected to fibre infrastructure. CEO Dietlof Mare told Digital Council Africa’s Conext Digital Infrastructure Investment Summit in Sandton on Thursday…
Addis Ababa — As increasingly frequent droughts and devastating floods are affecting agricultural productivity, leaving millions of people food insecure in Africa amid a lack of climate finance, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed USD 11 billion to support various climate-resilient and infrastructure projects in rural areas. Climate change-induced humanitarian emergencies are materializing in…
