Broadband Africa Forum Calls for Boosted Connectivity Initiatives Across the Continent
The Broadband Africa Forum gathered over 150 experts and industry leaders from around the world to discuss strategies for strengthening Africa’s broadband infrastructure. Despite progress in certain areas, many African nations continue to struggle with connectivity issues.
Themed “F5.5G Leap-forward Development of Broadband in Africa,” the forum highlighted the critical role of fibre infrastructure in the continent’s digital future.
Kim Jin, Vice President of Huawei’s Optical Business Product Line, underscored Huawei’s commitment to collaborating with fibre industry partners to develop intelligent, All-Optical access networks.
He noted that this approach would drive monetization opportunities across coverage, bandwidth, and user experience, ultimately boosting Africa’s digital economy.
Martin Creaner, Secretary-General of the World Broadband Association (WBBA), delivered a keynote, examining global broadband trends, particularly advancements in speed, intelligence, and accessibility. He emphasized the importance of integrating these trends to build robust broadband ecosystems in Africa.
Regional telecom leaders shared success stories and insights into effective strategies. The Managing Director of Eswatini Post and Telecommunications Company (EPTC) discussed his organization’s achievements in aligning with national broadband goals and adopting new technologies.
Safaricom’s Head of Home Broadband detailed recent innovations in Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC), while MTN Nigeria’s broadband General Manager shared their experiences in strategic investment and cooperative ecosystems.
The forum saw the release of the Broadband Africa White Paper, co-authored with the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) and consulting firm Africa Analysis. The document envisions a roadmap for fibre broadband growth, predicting that Africa’s broadband penetration could exceed 30% by 2030, with fibre connections comprising over half of all broadband users.
This white paper provides a framework for countries to leverage global and African best practices in expanding broadband access.
Industry leaders, including representatives from the WBBA, ATU, and Digital Council Africa (DCA), celebrated significant contributions to Africa’s fibre industry with the Optical Industry Development Pioneer Award.
In its sixth year, the Broadband Africa Forum remains a central platform for policy refinement, technological innovation, and knowledge sharing, fueling Africa’s digital transformation and broadband expansion efforts across the continent.
