The Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF) is loaning a combined US$82.8 million to two Africa-focused telecom infrastructure firms.

The fund will loan US$32.8 million to Eastcastle Infrastructure DRC to finance 728 new telecom towers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and US$50 million to Liquid Intelligent Technologies to refinance and future-proof its 110,000-kilometre pan-African fibre-optic network.

These parallel investments highlight EAAIF’s strategic focus on de-risking and scaling the physical and digital networks that underpin the continent’s rapidly growing digital economy.

In the DRC, where mobile internet penetration is 17%, and tower density is among the lowest globally (one tower per 15,000–20,000 people compared to one per 600 in the US), EAAIF’s support for Eastcastle is critical to addressing infrastructure availability, which is the primary bottleneck for mobile network operators.

Around 70% of the new towers will be located in rural and underpenetrated regions, which will help to boost connectivity in the DRC. The transaction will also finance solar panel installations and lithium battery upgrades to drive energy efficiency, circumvent grid failures, and reduce Eastcastle’s reliance on diesel.

EAAIF’s US$50 million commitment to Liquid Intelligent Technologies forms part of a US$450 million restructuring and expansion package which will support the optimisation of Liquid’s capital structure and the maintenance of its 110,000 km cross-border fibre network across 25 countries, including Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe. 

Liquid’s network enables digital data storage and processing for major operators, enterprises, and hyperscalers across Africa. EAAIF’s investment in Liquid’s high-speed broadband and cloud infrastructure underlines its commitment to sovereign digital assets that drive economic growth. Reliable internet access also enables local enterprises to scale more effectively, fostering long-term, productive employment.

Martijn Proos, Co-Head of Emerging Market Alternative Credit at Ninety One, the fund manager of EAAIF, said: “These commitments to Eastcastle and Liquid demonstrate our belief in Africa’s digital expansion through localised access points and pan-African corridors, which must work simultaneously to power the continent’s future.”

Three major players in the Asian market have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to execute collaborative AI data centre (AIDC) deployment initiatives across Southeast Asia.

The partnership, between technology infrastructure company SB Telecom Singapore, a subsidiary of Japan’s SoftBank, SC Zeus Data Centres, which is building advanced data centres across Asia, and Robust HPC Group, an IT managed service provider, focuses on two primary pillars: GPU infrastructure supply, build and operation, alongside dedicated AIDC construction and development within the region.

The partners say this collaboration combines the unique strengths of all three organisations to address the surging regional demand for high-density artificial intelligence computing workloads.

Under the agreement, SC Zeus will serve as the preferred partner to source land, design, build and operate the core data centre infrastructure. Robust HPC Group will spearhead the procurement, setup and management of high-performance GPU clusters, utilising advanced hardware.

SB Telecom Singapore meanwhile, will drive the data hall fit-out, ICT infrastructure integration, localised deployment support, and critical connectivity solutions. Together, the parties say they will develop innovative ‘AI factory’ solutions and explore diverse commercial models, including GPU-as-a-service platforms and AI token factory, a production system that transforms raw GPU compute and electricity into monetisable, governed units of intelligence known as tokens.

The initial deployment initiatives will focus heavily on Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam with subsequent plans to expand to the wider Southeast Asia region and neighbouring markets.

Hisao Inoue, Managing Director of SB Telecom Singapore says: “By unifying our robust ICT connectivity with SC Zeus’s specialised infrastructure capabilities and Robust HPC’s advanced supercomputing expertise, we are uniquely positioned to deliver the massively scalable, real-time computing environments essential for the future of AI.”

The envisioned facilities will feature advanced capabilities like liquid cooling infrastructure, 800 VDC architecture and low-latency networking, ensuring the region is fully equipped for next-generation AI workloads.

Some middle mile, some last mile, and some subsea: … [visit site to read more]

Lesotho has secured what is being described as the largest foreign investment in its history with the signing of the US$6.2 billion Kobong Project, whose aims include the development of hydropower resources and an artificial intelligence (AI) data centre.

Backed by New York-headquartered renewable energy firm Convalt Energy, which says it is creating an integrated value chain comprising solar PV manufacturing, power generation and development of data centres, the dual-infrastructure development is expected to shift the country from a net electricity importer to a regional power exporter.

Once operational, the project will have a generation capacity of 1.2GW, with an additional 4.6GW of solar capacity.

This is expected to increase Lesotho’s domestic power capacity, reducing reliance on imports, while supplying energy to an adjacent data centre designed for AI workloads.

Convalt Energy says it will fund the initial feasibility studies, with construction targeted to begin in 2029.

The development also aims to position Lesotho as a regional hub for AI-driven digital infrastructure, leveraging its climate, natural resources and governance framework. Indeed, Convalt says that Lesotho’s climate, abundant land and water, energy potential, and stable democratic government make it a premier data centre location.

The importance of the deal was underlined by an event at the US embassy to celebrate the signing, attended by a  number of government officials, heads of diplomatic missions and business leaders.

MTN Group has denied claims made by Ghanaian technology company Clydestone Ghana PLC after the latter initiated legal proceedings over the origins of mobile money services in Ghana, insisting the allegations are without merit and will be vigorously contested.

The response was issued through the Ghana Stock Exchange by Scancom PLC (MTN Ghana), after Clydestone announced on 28 July that it had filed a lawsuit at the High Court in Accra against MTN Ghana, MTN Group and MobileMoney Fintech LTD.

In a market announcement, MTN Ghana confirmed it had been served with a writ of summons and statement of claim relating to Clydestone’s alleged role in the launch of mobile money services in Ghana almost two decades ago.

However, the operator rejected the allegations.

« MTN Ghana does not accept the claims made, considers them without merit, and will contest the proceedings fully, » the company said, adding that it would not comment further while the matter remains before the court.

The operator also sought to reassure investors that the legal proceedings would have no impact on its business.

« MTN Ghana assures all its stakeholders that the proceedings do not affect its operations, services, performance, results or Mobile Money services, » the company said.

Clydestone alleges it played a foundational role in the introduction of mobile money services in Ghana and is seeking legal redress over issues dating back nearly 20 years.

MTN has not disclosed further details of the claim but said it will continue to comply with its disclosure obligations under the Ghana Stock Exchange’s listing rules and will update shareholders on any material developments.

MTN Nigeria growth

The dispute comes as MTN Group’s largest operating company, MTN Nigeria, reported a strong set of financial results for the first half of 2026.

The Nigerian business, which remains the group’s largest operation by subscriber numbers, grew its customer base by 8.9% year-on-year to 92.2 million, while active data users increased 9.3% to 55.7 million.

Service revenue rose 25.9% to NGN3.0 trillion (US$2.2 billion), while EBITDA climbed 39.2% to NGN1.7 trillion, lifting the EBITDA margin by 5.3 percentage points to 55.9%. Profit after tax increased 70.6% to NGN707.5 billion, supported by strong revenue growth, disciplined cost management and a more stable naira.

Commenting on the results, MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola said the operator had delivered « a strong first-half performance, with sustained commercial momentum, improved profitability and robust cash generation, » despite a challenging macroeconomic environment.

He added that the company remained focused on expanding network capacity, strengthening customer experience, accelerating home broadband growth and improving its fintech business during the second half of the year.

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Oliver Norman, Chief Revenue Officer, Nomia

Telecom operators occupy a unique position in today’s economy. They are expected to modernize networks, protect critical national infrastructure, maintain resilient supplier ecosystems, and respond quickly to changing regulatory and security requirements – all while continuing to control costs. … [visit site to read more]

African digital payments network Onafriq announced on Wednesday it is partnering with stablecoin infrastructure provider Privy to drive development of stablecoin-enabled crypto payment services across its network.

The initial phase of the partnership will focus on cross chain stablecoin transfers, and treasury and settlement workflows, which Onafriq said will create the foundation for future cross-border payment and liquidity solutions.

According to Onafriq, moving money between African markets remains a slow, fragmented process that relies on multiple intermediaries and prolonged settlement cycles. Stablecoins – a category of cryptocurrency pegged to fiat currencies, commodities, or financial instruments, which makes it less volatile than cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin – promise a viable alternative to eliminate those delays.

Onafriq said that integrating Privy’s secure infrastructure enables it to build the capabilities required to support a new generation of efficient digital payment services for banks, fintechs, and mobile money operators.

Luke Kyohere, group chief product and innovation officer at Onafriq, said its tie-up with Privy is a key component of its broader strategy to boost its pan-African payment infrastructure (which currently connects 43 African markets), enabling secure multi-modal wallets and more efficient movement of value across the continent.

“Privy gives us a building block for faster settlement and better liquidity management,” he said in a statement. “As demand for digital asset services grows, our goal is to ensure Africa’s payment ecosystem benefits securely and in line with regulatory frameworks.”

Privy can also enable the seamless integration of digital asset wallet capabilities into Onafriq products (subject to regulatory approval), and deliver a simple user experience while abstracting the complexity of blockchain technology, said Privy co-founder and CEO Henri Stern.

“Stablecoins will play an increasingly important role in the future of global payments, but real-world adoption depends on infrastructure that is secure, scalable and simple to implement,” Stern said. “Working with Onafriq allows us to help build that foundation across Africa and beyond.”

According to South Africa-based multinational banking and financial services firm Absa, stablecoin transactions surpassed US$34 trillion globally in 2025. In Sub-Saharan Africa, stablecoin accounts for 43% of all crypto transactions. Africa has become the fastest-growing market for stablecoin ownership, thanks to heavy adoption in Nigeria and South Africa, Absa says.

A report last month from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that Nigeria alone has accounted for around 60% of stablecoin inflows within sub-Saharan Africa since 2019. The appeal comes down to the fact that Stablecoins enable fast cross-border payments via smartphones with far lower transaction fees and without the burden of fluctuating foreign exchange rates.

That said, the IMF noted that stablecoins do present financial risks, such as reducing demand for local currency, which could weaken domestic monetary policy, and making transactions harder to monitor independently (as traditional transactions are), which increases risks of things like fraud and money laundering.

Onafriq emphasises that its stablecoin infrastructure will comply with all regulatory requirements in the markets where it operates – which also means service availability is subject to regulatory approval.

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Ministry of Communications said on Thursday they have signed an MoU with the government of Madhya Pradesh to establish India’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) to boost the country’s domestic telecoms manufacturing ecosystem.

In a post on social media site X, the DoT said the central government is providing 100% funding for Phase 1 of the project, and has allocated INR493 million (US$5.1 million) to develop core infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government will supply around 170 acres of land in Gwalior at no cost.

A statement from the Communications Ministry said it expects the TMZ initiative to serve as a catalyst for the growth of telecoms equipment manufacturers, technology companies, MSMEs, start-ups, and other stakeholders across the telecoms value chain.

“The initiative seeks to create a world-class manufacturing ecosystem for telecom equipment and allied technologies by attracting investments, fostering innovation, encouraging indigenous design and manufacturing, and accelerating the development of next-generation telecom products and solutions,” the ministry statement said.

“It will also generate substantial employment opportunities, enhance regional industrial development, strengthen supply chain resilience, and position India as a global hub for telecom manufacturing and innovation,” the statement added.

During the MoU ceremony, Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia said that the TMZ project serves Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliance India) policy that aims to strengthen the country’s self-sufficiency in technological development and transform it into a technology exporter.

He also said the TMZ would generate INR35 billion of investment and 14,000 job opportunities. “That is the impact of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

Some last mile fiber, cooling, and traffic growth: … [visit site to read more]

Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) has taken another step towards the rollout of 5G services by holding a pre-application briefing for prospective bidders interested in acquiring spectrum licences in the 700 MHz, 2.3 GHz and 3 GHz mid-band frequencies.

The meeting, held at the NCA Tower, formed part of the regulator’s Request for Applications (RFA) process and gave prospective applicants an opportunity to seek clarification on the licensing framework before submitting bids.

According to the NCA, discussions covered the selection and award process, eligibility criteria, available spectrum, rollout obligations and significant market power (SMP) considerations.

Speaking at the event, NCA Director General Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko said the regulator was making the spectrum available as early as possible to accelerate the deployment of 5G services across Ghana.

He added that the authority was committed to improving connectivity and digital services for consumers, noting growing demand for faster internet speeds and more reliable communications.

Fianko also stressed that successful applicants would be required to meet rollout obligations and deployment timelines set out in the licence conditions to ensure the timely nationwide introduction of 5G services.

The briefing was attended by representatives from mobile network operators (MNOs), internet service providers (ISPs), mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and broadband wireless access (BWA) providers.

The NCA said the briefing forms part of its efforts to ensure a transparent, fair and competitive licensing process while supporting broadband expansion and Ghana’s wider digital transformation agenda.