Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is expected to double its 4G coverage following the new US$ 100 million project by telecommunication company AXIAN Telecom aimed at supporting the expansion of its mobile broadband network infrastructure across the country and Madagascar, according to a statement released Thursday.
Operating under the Yas brand in both countries, AXIAN Telecom is estimated to serve over 44 million subscribers and is present in nine Sub-Saharan African countries with its key mobile and fixed operations being in Tanzania, Madagascar, Senegal, Togo and Comoros.
Financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB Global), the project is also expected to support national efforts to introduce 5G coverage in the two countries. Other expected outcomes include enhanced access to high-speed communications, inclusive digitalisation, and sustainable development across the two East African nations.
US$ 60 million of the financing will benefit Tanzania and US$ 40 million will go to Madagascar.
AXIAN Telecom’s CEO, Mr Hassan Jaber, said the US$ 100 million EIB Global financing will help the company expand mobile phone infrastructure in Madagascar and Tanzania and benefit millions of people, adding: “This new large-scale network investment will pave the way for socio-economic growth, digital inclusion, and better opportunities.”
On his part, European Investment Bank Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle said that digital connectivity opens doors for education, business, healthcare and social inclusion, which he believes is critical to any country’s development.
“This new investment demonstrates the EIB’s commitment to empowering communities, fostering sustainable development, and driving positive change through enhanced access to affordable high-speed communications,” Mr Fayolle added.
Experts believe that improved connectivity plays a pivotal role in advancing socio-economic development.
The EIB Global-funded project is expected to expand resilient and energy-efficient mobile broadband infrastructure, thereby unlocking numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) benefits, including sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, leading to the creation of quality jobs.
It is expected that the project’s completion will result in fragile communities gaining access to the tools and resources necessary to connect with the wider world, fostering knowledge sharing, e-commerce, and innovation.
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The European Union Ambassadors to Madagascar and Tanzania have expressed their support for the EIB’s investment and its significant impact on the countries’ development.
EU Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Christine Grau, for example, said that the organisation is a key partner for Tanzania in advancing the government’s digital transformation agenda, from policy support to infrastructure and investments.
“This EIB Global investment in AXIAN Telecom, made possible through a European Union guarantee, is a concrete example of our commitment to invest in digital connectivity,” Ms Grau noted.
“The European Union believes that in the area of connectivity, reinforcing public-private partnerships is crucial for a human-centric model of digital transformation to ensure that no one is left behind.”
EIB Global is considered a key financier for telecom and digitalisation in Africa and emerging markets, with the current project supporting the objectives of the EU’s Digital4Development (D4D) initiative launched in 2017.
It feeds into the Global Gateway strategy for Africa that seeks to mobilise up to €150 billion by 2030 for the development of physical and digital infrastructures across the continent.
EIB Global aims to create a comprehensive and inclusive digital ecosystem by collaborating with local stakeholders, telecom operators and government agencies.
