30th January 2025, Nairobi-Kenya: The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) has unveiled a crucial new report that evaluates the readiness of African countries to roll out and utilize 5G networks across the continent. The report, titled “Report on 5G Preparedness and Relevant Use Cases in Africa,” marks another key step in ATU’s commitment to supporting digital transformation in Africa.
We are in the 4th industrial revolution driven by digital – rendering digital that key. For context, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd industrial revolutions were driven by steam engine, oil, and electronics, respectively. According to the ITU and is widely recognized, “to maximize its impact on society and the economy, digital connectivity must be [both] universal and meaningful” with the latter referring to a form of connectivity that is empowering enough for a given user to fully participate in the digital economy, as well as, the social-well-being of the society at an affordable cost.
The 2024 edition of Facts and Figures i.e. ITU’s annual overview of the state of global digital connectivity, estimates Africa’s internet use at 38% of the population against a global average of 68%. In order to bridge the gaps in both universal and more so meaningful connectivity, Africa, led by the African Union and supported by various institution notably the ATU, is implementing the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020 – 2030), i.e. the DTS.
ATU being the specialised institution of the AU in the field of digital is actively undertaking various initiatives aimed at supporting the full and innovative implementation of the said strategy. Besides supporting the DTS, it is the statutory objective of the ATU to “promote programmes for the development of the African Information Society”, by among other things, promoting “the development and adoption of appropriate African telecommunications policy and regulatory frameworks”. The very latest initiative is the development and release of the said report developed by the organization’s Task Group on Emerging Technologies.
The report focusses on assessing the readiness of African countries to deploy, operate and use 5G networks. The report further explores challenges impacting the deployment of 5G in Africa and the status of deployment in countries that have already embarked on the process. Even more significantly, prominent locally relevant use cases for 5G are well elaborated. In the concluding sections, the report provides recommendations to support decision-making for the deployment of 5G networks and use cases in Africa with the ultimate objective of fostering its maximised benefit.
On the question of the availability of the report, Eng. Kezias Kazuba MWALE, director for radiocommunications (spectrum) pointed to https://atuuat.africa/atu-r-reports/ as the home for all ATU documents in the radiocommunications sphere, including ATU-R Recommendation 005-0 which is on the implementation of a number of emerging technologies including 5G itself. He reminded that indeed all ATU publications are freely available online, thus empowering all to better grasp the documents. Eng. Mwale observed that while the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy has set ambitious targets for the continent, “reports like this provide the much-needed guidance for its ambitious goals to be achieved.”
Eng. Baxton Sirewu in his capacity as Chair of the Task Group on Emerging Technologies was elated at the release of the report “POTRAZ where I serve as director for engineering and indeed the Member State of Zimbabwe which is my country, are extremely honoured to champion the harmonised and coordinated implementation of emerging technologies in Africa, and thereby directly contributing towards the collective pursuit of digital transformation in our continent”. In terms of the core mundus operandi by which the report was developed, Eng. Sirewu, could not be prouder of the process “in keeping with ATU’s core philosophy of being membership driven, the report was developed in the most transparent and consultative manner – a consensual process in which every voice of the 52 ATU Member States and 50 Associate Members counts – the significance of which is that we expect Member States and other stakeholders to have trust in the report just like other ATU documents”.
ATU Secretary-General, John OMO, in his remarks emphasized the significance of the document during the release. He lauded the report’s potential to equip African nations with valuable insights for making informed decisions on 5G deployment. “I earnestly appeal to our Member States to exercise utmost political and technical goodwill towards this report,” Omo said. “The recommendations on 5G usage are crucial, and the success of their implementation will have far-reaching impact on the societies and economies across our continent.”
In addition, Omo framed the discussion around this report as a key pivot: “We must now elevate our commitment to the practical deployment of 5G for the benefit of all Africans, ensuring the continent is included in the global digital economy.”
Mr Omo further noted that the report serves as a clarion call for political leadership across the continent to align their efforts in adopting and scaling 5G infrastructure effectively. “The report addresses a critical emerging technology that can unlock untapped opportunities, and we must collectively take the necessary steps to implement the suggested strategies,” he said.
With Africa’s future digital ecosystem increasingly reliant on advanced networks, ATU’s 5G report provides both an urgent and strategic outline for nations to follow. The hope is that, with engaged leadership and cooperative action, Africa will not just follow global trends but set new standards for digital innovation poised to transform its economic and social spheres.
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About the African Telecommunications Union (ATU)
An Inter-Governmental Organization (IGO) being the specialised institution of the African Union in the field of Telecommunications/ICTs/Digital, and also the International Telecommunications Union’s regional telecommunications organization (RTO) for Africa. Today the organization boasts of a remarkable number of 52 Member States, as well as, 50 Associate Members. It is an autonomous, membership driven organization whose mission is promoting digital transformation in Africa and also ensuring Africa is an equal-player in global digital matters. The organization is today of high-profile status following its recent transformation and delivery of real high-value benefits to its Membership and Africa in general. More on the website https://atuuat.africa/
About the ATU’s Task Group on Emerging Technologies
The group is charged with the noble responsibility of championing the harmonised and coordinated implementation of emerging technologies in Africa with a view to maximising their benefits to Member States and Africa as a whole. The group is one of the several non-statutory structure of the ATU. Whereas the group is anchored in the radiocommunications (spectrum) sector of the ATU, its scope is not limited to spectrum only. And therefore, all experts in various areas from the ATU Membership are encouraged to actively participate. The group is led by a five-member management team of experts coming from ATU Member States with each Sub-Region being represented.
