Airtel Africa, through its wholesale fibre subsidiary Telesonic, has announced a major partnership with Nokia to deploy a transformative, high-capacity terrestrial fibre optic network across East and Central Africa. The collaboration, unveiled at the 28th AfricaCom event in Cape Town, is set to enhance cross-border connectivity and accelerate Africa’s digital transformation.
Building Africa’s Digital Backbone
The project aims to establish a robust digital infrastructure linking multiple African countries and connecting inland regions to major submarine cables, including the 2Africa system. By expanding the continent’s high-speed internet backbone, the initiative will address Africa’s growing digital consumption and support its mobile-first population who depend on the internet for education, healthcare, and financial services.
Telesonic will deploy Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) platform powered by its Photonic Service Engine (PSE) technology. This Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) network will deliver an impressive 38 Terabits per second (Tbps) capacity, enabling ultra-fast, secure data transfers critical for cloud services, video streaming, and webscale traffic.
“Deploying Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch is a pivotal network upgrade. It enables high-speed, webscale-ready connectivity across Africa, setting the stage for transformative growth and opportunities.”
— Razvan Ungureanu, Chief Technology Officer, Airtel Africa
Enhancing Connectivity for Landlocked Nations
The network rollout will span 139 nodes across multiple countries, providing enhanced resilience and speed for landlocked nations to access international bandwidth. This initiative is expected to dramatically reduce latency, improve reliability, and create a seamless digital experience for millions of users and enterprises across the continent.
Supporting Africa’s Data Growth
Launched in February 2024, Telesonic was established to meet the escalating demand for wholesale data capacity. According to industry projections, mobile data traffic in Sub-Saharan Africa will grow by approximately 6 GB per connection per month between 2023 and 2030, fueled by rising smartphone penetration, expanding broadband coverage, and demand for bandwidth-heavy content such as video streaming and online gaming.
Diversifying Airtel Africa’s Digital Portfolio
This fibre network initiative is a cornerstone of Airtel Africa’s diversification strategy, as the company expands beyond traditional telecom services. Its subsidiaries now focus on data centers, digital advertising, and wholesale connectivity. Data services have already become a major revenue driver, contributing $1.16 billion out of the group’s $2.98 billion total revenue in the first half of the 2026 fiscal year.
“Our collaboration with Nokia is an important step in developing Africa’s digital infrastructure. By leveraging Nokia’s cutting-edge fiber solutions, we aim to meet the continent’s growing data demand. This network will drive economic growth, empower communities, and create new opportunities for businesses and individuals.”
— Prasanta Das Sarma, Managing Director, Airtel Africa Telesonic
Driving Africa’s Digital Future
The Airtel Africa–Nokia fibre network marks a major milestone in the effort to bridge Africa’s digital divide. By expanding affordable, high-speed connectivity, the project is set to empower economies, boost innovation, and lay the foundation for a truly connected Africa.
