Telecom
Future Of Mobile Innovation In Sub-Saharan Africa Hinges On Consistent Privacy Regulation
By John Giusti (GSMA
Mobile is critical for creating a truly “Digital Africa”, a connected region where digital technologies are delivering positive impacts to societies and economies. Sub-Saharan Africa is the fastest growing mobile market in the world.
Fuelled by growing access to mobile data services, the mobile ecosystem is flourishing, providing a platform for innovation that is generating employment opportunities and spurring the creation of new services.
This wave of growth is underpinned by increased availability of mobile data.
By 2020, sixty per cent of mobile connections are forecast to run over mobile broadband networks, almost double the number from 2016. In the same period, mobile data traffic is expected to grow by sixty-six per cent.
Global data flows are also creating new degrees of connectedness among economies, and digitalisation can positively impact GDP, and this surge in data is critical to economic opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In this new data driven world, the mobile industry is focused on building the trust and confidence of users and, in so doing, enable data innovation that benefits citizens.
This will hinge on the implementation of certain and consistent rules for data privacy that apply to all service providers.
Today, there are significant discrepancies within the region regarding principles incorporated into data privacy laws and how they are implemented nationally. In some countries, mobile licence conditions stipulate that certain user information or accounting information may not be transferred outside the country.
In those same countries, other service providers are not subject to the same restrictions. If mobile operators are prevented from transferring data outside the country, it will inhibit their ability to bring the benefits of centralised cloud systems to the region.
This will make operating within the global economy more difficult, and will deny consumers the innovative services and other benefits that come from fair competition and economies of scale.
In respect to data usage, mobile operators are also often subject to privacy-related restrictions in their licences or national law regarding what they can and cannot do with user data. In some circumstances, this may be reasonable and proportionate, however, we would urge governments to limit such restrictions to only those that are strictly necessary and, in any case, apply equally to all providers of communications or equivalent services.
Whilst inconsistent application of rules will affect mobile operators’ ability to compete, critically it prevents consumers’ privacy expectations from being met in a consistent way. To maximise growth, consumers must have confidence that data is being protected.
However, as the lines blur between what type of service each service provider delivers, consumers are not always aware of the different privacy rules that apply or which provisions only impact one segment of the market.
This can lead to a degradation of trust, meaning consumers are less willing to share information, less confident that their data will be used in accordance with stated mobile privacy policies and ultimately less likely to use data-based services.
Creating a regulatory environment across Sub-Saharan Africa that not only protects the privacy of consumers through consistent application of privacy rules but encourages the mobile industry’s ability to deliver innovative services is vital to unlocking social and economic benefits across the region.
The mobile industry urges governments throughout Sub-Saharan Africa to avoid legislating for specific types of data and instead focus on individual privacy concerns – ensuring that obligations are not tied to the type of service provider.
This will guarantee that all providers of data services are subject to the same privacy regulations, creating an environment where consumers feel their data is safe and protected.
This will allow all service providers to compete in the provision of data-based services and contribute to the growth of the data economy throughout the region.
Only by creating a level-playing field in applicable regulation – regulation that not only protects consumers in a consistent way, but also promotes innovation – can digital technologies realise their full social and economic potential in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Starlink, the satellite internet provider operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has stopped taking new orders for residential kits in parts of Lagos and in Abuja after network capacity was reached, the company’s online ordering page shows.
Neighborhoods listed as sold out include Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lagos Island and Surulere.
Prospective customers in those areas can join a wait list by paying a deposit and will be notified when service space opens.
At Chevyville Estate in Lekki, one resident trying to subscribe was met with a message that read: “Starlink service is currently at capacity in your area. However, you can place a deposit now to reserve your spot on the waitlist and receive a notification as soon as service becomes available again.”
That experience mirrors what consumers in other busy districts are seeing.
A Starlink engineer who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal limits said the company temporarily closes new sales in zones where adding customers would degrade service for existing users.
“It happens when the area cannot take a new customer due to its designed capacity at the time,” the engineer said.
“This also helps preserve a steady connection for people already online.” Remedies can include adding more ground infrastructure, securing regulatory clearances, or expanding satellite coverage.
Since entering Nigeria, Starlink’s monthly fee has climbed: the service began at about N38,000 (roughly $25), rose to about N45,000 ($30) and — by 2025 — was charging roughly N56,000 ($37).
Starlink has cited naira depreciation, higher operating expenses and costs tied to meeting rules set by the Nigerian Communications Commission for the increases.
Those higher prices, and the service interruptions, appear to have affected subscription numbers. After a near eight-month pause that began in November 2024 and was tied to limited bandwidth and regulatory issues, orders resumed in late June 2025.
Still, data from the NCC show active Starlink users in Nigeria fell from 65,564 in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 59,509 in the first quarter of 2025, a decline of more than 6,000 users, or about 9 percent.
Analysts point to the price rises, service holds and economic pressure as key reasons for the drop; some customers have switched to cheaper alternatives or stopped service.
As Elon Musk maintains his position as the world’s richest individual, with a net worth of $429 billion (according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index), his commitment to global digital inclusion through Starlink remains a central focus.
Starlink’s activity in Nigeria is part of a wider push across Africa.
The company has recently moved to enter markets including Lesotho and Somalia and secured permission to operate in the Democratic Republic of Congo after earlier restrictions,
SpaceX is also working with operators such as Airtel Africa to reach rural areas where wired internet is scarce.
For many users in Nigeria, the appeal of Starlink remains clear: a reliable option where terrestrial networks falter.
But until the company expands capacity or adjusts pricing, consumers in dense urban pockets may have to wait for access or turn to other providers.
Credit excluding Headline: Pm News
Telecom
Google Expands Digital Infrastructure with Four New Subsea Cable Hubs and $9m AI Fund for Africa
Google has announced a new set of investments in Africa, reaffirming its nearly two-decade commitment to the continent’s digital transformation.
The latest commitments focus on empowering Africa’s next generation through AI, unlocking opportunities and expanding on the innovation capacity of young Africans. They cover internet connectivity; youth-led learning and innovation; and skills training.
Connectivity
Google is announcing four strategic subsea cable connectivity hubs in the north, south, east and west regions of Africa. This investment creates new digital corridors within Africa and between Africa and the rest of the world – ultimately deepening international connectivity and resilience, as well as spurring economic growth and opportunity.
This is the latest addition to Google’s Africa Connect infrastructure program, which sees the company build vital connectivity across the continent: including the Google Cloud region in Johannesburg serving users across the continent, the Equiano cable running along the entire western seaboard of the continent, and Umoja, the first fiber optic route to directly connect Africa with Australia (running through Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa).
Google’s investments to date have enabled 100 million Africans to access the internet for the first time, and the Equiano cable alone is expected to increase real GDP this year in Nigeria, South Africa and Namibia by an estimated $11.1 billion, $5.8 billion and $290 million, respectively.
Youth-led learning and innovation
Enabling Africa’s young people to learn, innovate and lead is critical to Africa’s development and economic growth. That’s why Google is today also announcing free one-year subscriptions to Google AI Pro plan for college students (18 or older) across the continent – starting with Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. The subscription provides advanced AI to students – from Deep Research, which helps save time with custom research reports and in-depth information from hundreds of sources across the web, to Gemini 2.5 Pro, which provides help with assignments or writing.
Building skills and solutions
Equipping people with AI skills is critical. To date, Google has trained 7 million Africans and plans to train an additional 3 million students, young people, and teachers by 2030. Google is also bolstering local capacity by providing African universities and research institutions with over $17 million in funding, curriculum, training and compute and access to advanced AI models over the past four years – with an additional $9 million planned for the coming year.
On the announcements, Alex Okosi, Managing Director for Google in Africa, said: “Africa’s digital economy holds immense potential, and it will be driven by the talent and ingenuity of its next generation. Today’s announcements, spanning AI education, advanced tools for students, and expanded connectivity, are a unified investment into the upward trajectory of the continent.
“We are committed to providing the foundational infrastructure, the cutting-edge tools, and the financial support necessary for Africa’s youth to innovate, lead, and build a thriving digital world.”
Google’s long term partnership
These announcements are the latest chapter in Google’s long-term investment in the continent, which has delivered on $1 billion of investment. Google’s sustained commitment to Africa has included driving connectivity; training more than 7 million people across the continent in digital skills to support the future workforce; and supporting 153 startups from 17 African nations through the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa, helping them raise $300 million and create 3,500 jobs.
AI creates an unprecedented opportunity to benefit everyone, and Google is committed to making that a reality for people, businesses and communities across Africa. Today’s announcements are another example of how Google is continuing to expand connectivity, increase product access and skills across the continent and enable African-led innovation – with more to come.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has secured regulatory approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to lease frequency spectrum from T2 Mobile Limited (formerly 9Mobile), marking a strategic shift in its network expansion plans.
Effective October 1, 2025, MTN will lease 5MHz in the 900MHz band and 15MHz in the 1800MHz band from T2 Mobile for a period of three years.
This move supports MTN’s national roaming agreement with T2, enabling shared infrastructure to manage growing network traffic and improve service delivery
According to MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola, the agreement aligns with the company’s Ambition 2025 strategy, which emphasizes cost-effective, sustainable growth, industry collaboration, and digital inclusion.
In a related development, MTN Nigeria has announced it will not renew its current spectrum lease with Natcom Development and Investment Ltd (Ntel). That lease—covering 5MHz in the 900MHz band and 10MHz in the 1800MHz band across 17 states—is set to expire on November 29, 2025.
MTN reaffirmed its commitment to investing in infrastructure and strategic partnerships to deliver high-quality, innovative telecom services across Nigeria.
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