Rising demand for digital services and data-intensive connectivity is accelerating network modernisation across Africa, with mobile operators increasingly investing in 4G, 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven infrastructure to support future growth.
According to Ericsson, African telecoms operators are rapidly evolving their networks to meet surging broadband demand, improve operational efficiency and unlock new digital revenue streams.
Alain Maupin, vice president and head of customer unit for East and North Africa at Ericsson, told ITWeb Africa that operators including Vodacom, Econet and Airtel are already rolling out 5G services across parts of the continent.
Ericsson, a major supplier of telecoms network equipment and digital infrastructure solutions, has operations in markets including Zimbabwe, South Africa, Uganda, Angola, Senegal and Morocco.
Maupin said operators are increasingly using 5G technology to expand broadband coverage through Fixed Wireless Access, while also boosting network capacity in densely populated urban areas.
The company has supported network modernisation projects for operators such as MTN in Rwanda and Econet in Zimbabwe.
According to Maupin, telecoms operators across Africa are now evolving their core networks through cloud-native deployments, upgrading radio access and transport infrastructure, and preparing systems for future high-capacity data demands.
AI is also emerging as a key driver of telecoms transformation on the continent.
Maupin said AI and automation technologies are helping operators manage increasingly complex networks while improving efficiency and reducing operating costs.
“Automation is delivering faster fault resolution, enhanced service quality and reduced operational costs,” he said. “AI is becoming deeply embedded across the African telecommunications ecosystem and is being applied to areas such as traffic prediction, anomaly detection and energy optimisation.”
As operators continue investing in automation and digital transformation, Ericsson said telecoms firms are prioritising technologies capable of generating new revenue streams beyond traditional voice services.
These include enterprise connectivity, private networks and digital service platforms, with mobile data increasingly becoming the primary revenue driver for many operators.
The evolution of telecoms networks is also driving wider adoption of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), enabling operators to collaborate more effectively with third-party developers and digital service providers.
Safaricom has been among the frontrunners in this space through Daraja, its public API platform for M-PESA integrations.
In South Africa, Vodacom is using the GSMA Open Gateway API initiative to combat fraud and verify SIM swaps.
Meanwhile, MTN operates Chenosis, a marketplace that provides developers and businesses with access to fintech, e-health and e-commerce APIs.
Despite growing momentum around AI, automation and 5G adoption, African telecoms operators continue to face major structural and economic challenges.
Spectrum availability, high licensing costs and device affordability remain significant barriers to broader network usage and higher revenue growth in several markets.
Countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zimbabwe have faced criticism over expensive licensing frameworks, while operators in markets such as Egypt and Tanzania continue to grapple with high spectrum allocation costs.
In some regions, operators are also being forced to increase investment in renewable energy infrastructure to offset unstable power supplies and rising operational costs.
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