Africa’s telecommunications networks play a critical role in driving economic development and expanding digital inclusion across Africa. However, this progress is increasingly threatened by environmental problems such as extreme temperatures, floods, droughts, and unstable power supplies. With millions of people relying on reliable connectivity for education, healthcare, financial services, commerce and more, ensuring communications infrastructure can withstand the effects of climate change is a key priority.
Climate-related disruptions are already impacting connectivity in some regions. In South Africa, floods in KwaZulu-Natal in 2022 damaged 1,200 communications towers, hampering repair efforts and leading to prolonged power outages. Cyclone Freddie in 2023 caused extensive destruction to towers and power lines in Malawi and Mozambique, disrupting mobile networks during critical relief operations. In Sudan, extreme heat waves and repeated power shortages are causing repeated equipment failures. Flash floods have damaged underground fiber cables and destabilized tower structures in Nigeria, while a prolonged drought in the Horn of Africa has strained off-grid power supplies, impacting data center cooling and network reliability.
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Driving sustainability across sectors
Telecom operators across Africa are increasingly adopting renewable energy solutions to make their networks more sustainable and resilient. The primary focus is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve energy efficiency by shifting away from fossil fuels in favor of solar and wind energy to power base stations, towers, and data centers.
MTN Group has made significant progress through initiatives such as Project Zero in Nigeria, with thousands of base stations now running on solar power. These installations often include hybrid systems that combine solar panels with lithium-ion batteries to ensure continuous operation even in areas without reliable grid access. In South Africa, MTN has also introduced a hybrid wind and solar power generation solution to enhance energy independence during load shedding periods.
Vodacom is similarly driving a green agenda and aims to have all of its base stations in South Africa powered by renewable energy by 2025. To support this transition, Vodacom has installed R8 million worth of solar power solutions in Polokwane, Vereeniging and Bloemfontein, leveraging advanced energy management systems (EMS) to track, control and optimize energy consumption. These systems provide real-time insights, enabling better load balancing, preventive maintenance, and increased operational efficiency.
In East Africa, 10% of Safaricom’s sites run on 24/7 electricity and 3% on renewable energy hybrid systems, reducing reliance on diesel generators. Airtel Africa has also deployed solar power base stations in Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia, in line with its broader sustainability strategy.
The deployment of these renewable energies not only reduces environmental impact, but also increases service reliability and reduces long-term operating costs. By integrating clean energy and smart energy management tools, African carriers are building more robust networks that can withstand both energy challenges and the impacts of climate change.
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Smarter networks with AI and energy optimization
In Africa, carriers are deploying artificial intelligence (AI)-powered energy management systems to improve network efficiency and sustainability. Tools such as Huawei’s E2E PowerStar and Ericsson’s Energy Infrastructure Operations (Ericsson RAN Energy Cockpit rApp) are used to monitor energy consumption in real-time, optimize energy allocation, and reduce operational costs. For example, MTN has introduced Huawei’s AI-driven systems in several markets to improve power usage and extend the lifespan of equipment.
According to Ericsson’s June 2025 Mobility Report, mobile data usage in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to nearly triple by 2030, reaching an average of 14 gigabytes (GB) per active smartphone per month, increasing demand on networks. Smart energy solutions are therefore essential to manage this growing demand while supporting the goals of reducing emissions and ensuring network reliability amid frequent power outages and harsh climate conditions.
Protecting connections with redundancy
Africa’s digital connectivity relies heavily on undersea cables that connect the continent to the world’s internet hubs: WACS (West African Cable System), SAT-3, ACE (African Coast to Europe), EASSy (East African Submarine Cable System), SEACOM, Equiano, 2Africa, LION (Indian Ocean Underwater Network), and METISS (Melting Pot Indian Ocean Submarine System). But this heavy reliance is proving dangerous. 2024 3 In January, simultaneous failures of WACS, SAT-3, and ACE cables off the coast of West Africa caused widespread internet outages in Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Senegal, highlighting the urgent need to increase network redundancy.
To address these vulnerabilities, African countries are increasing investment in terrestrial fiber optic infrastructure that provides alternative routes for data traffic. For example, the EAC One Network Area (ONA) connects Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan, ensuring smoother regional connectivity. Similarly, Tanzania and Kenya have established a terrestrial fiber optic link between Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, serving as a backup for the SEACOM and EASSy cables. Companies like Liquid Intelligent Technologies are also playing a key role, installing more than 100,000 kilometers of optical fiber across 14 African countries, building vast inland networks to reroute traffic in the event of submarine cable failures and expand access in landlocked regions.
At the same time, LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites are becoming an important part of Africa’s connectivity mix. During the March 2024 outage, Starlink provided emergency broadband service in parts of Nigeria and Ghana where no other options were available. These satellite systems offer rapid deployment, improved latency, and increased bandwidth capacity, making them suitable for both emergency backup and providing primary access in remote or underserved areas.
By combining submarine cables, a robust terrestrial fiber network, and LEO satellite coverage, we are contributing to building a more resilient, diversified, and future-ready digital infrastructure across Africa.
Innovative approach in the field
Across the continent, carriers are testing and deploying infrastructure adapted to our harsh and unpredictable climate. Some notable examples include:
Hybrid Energy Communications Tower: Combines solar panels with high-capacity batteries to minimize dependence on diesel generators and the power grid. Low Energy Rural Base Stations: Tailored for off-grid locations, these facilities are compact, efficient, and easy to maintain. Redundant cross-border fiber links: Increase resiliency by creating multiple terrestrial and subsea routes to avoid single points of failure. Self-healing AI systems: Automatically detect network anomalies and enable real-time recovery through isolation and rerouting mechanisms.
These efforts highlight how technological innovation can be leveraged to make networks not only greener but also more robust against climate risks.
Partnerships drive resilience
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) play an important role in fostering climate-resilient communications infrastructure. For example, Liquid Intelligent Technologies has partnered with IFC (International Finance Corporation) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Power Africa to develop solar-powered terrestrial networks in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In another example, Nigeria’s NCC and Rural Electrification Authority (REA) launched a solar hybrid power solution that connects rural base stations, reducing emissions while improving resilience.
Regional cooperation is also expanding. Through the Smart Africa Alliance, more than 30 African countries, including Rwanda, Senegal, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Uganda and Benin, are collaborating on cross-border fiber optic projects and shared data centers. The East Africa Backbone System (EABS) and One Africa Network are examples of multi-country efforts to harmonize infrastructure standards, reduce implementation costs, and improve disaster recovery capabilities. These partnerships enable more effective routing during power outages and contribute to a more integrated and interoperable communications environment across the continent.
Enabling financing for climate-smart networks
Expanding resilient communications infrastructure in Africa requires significant upfront investment, particularly in renewable energy and redundant networks. In particular, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has committed US$1.76 billion to strengthen digital connectivity across Africa. Through the African Infrastructure Investment Fund 4 (AIIF4), IFC also invested US$30 million in communications infrastructure, particularly data centres, fiber and towers, in countries including Ivory Coast, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal and South Africa.
The AfricanGoGreen Fund (AGGF), which became fully operational in 2021, has provided a US$47 million equity and US$40 million debt loan to AktivCo, a telecommunications tower distributed energy services company, to develop clean energy solutions to power telecommunication towers in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ivory Coast and Niger.
A new digital age built to withstand climate uncertainty
As climate change continues to disrupt traditional systems and expose infrastructure vulnerabilities, Africa’s communications sector is responding with urgency and innovation. Through the convergence of renewable energy, smart technology, network redundancy and supportive funding, the continent is laying the foundations for a more reliable, comprehensive and future-proof communications network.
In this new era, resilience is more than just getting back on your feet. It’s about building systems that can adapt, endure, and evolve. Africa’s telecommunications industry is showing that climate-resilient infrastructure is not only possible, but necessary for a connected, sustainable and equitable digital future.
Read more: From carbon emissions to clean networks: Africa’s telecommunications sustainability revolution
