Mali: $72 million to improve access to telecom services by 2025

Mal

In 2025, the Universal Access Fund Management Agency (AGEFAU) plans to allocate 43.35 billion CFA francs ($72.06 million) to improving people’s access to telecommunications services. The institution’s budget was revealed last week during the 9th ordinary session of its board of directors.

“For the year 2025, the Agency will pursue several essential projects, including the extension of telecommunications network coverage, the establishment of universal access centers, as well as health initiatives, such as telemedicine in maternal and neonatal health,” read a press release published on social networks on Thursday, March 13.

These initiatives can help bridge the digital divide in Mali. Indeed, data from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) shows that by 2023, 30% of Mali’s estimated population of around 24 million had no 3G network coverage. For 4G, the coverage gap rises to 47% of the population. In contrast, 2G already covered 100% of the population by 2023. However, the internet penetration rate is estimated at 33.1%, compared to 67.3% for mobile telephony.

However, AGEFAU still faces several obstacles to achieving its goals. The agency cites, in particular, the delay in budget approval, the non-payment of contributions by some telecommunications operators, as well as the security and health challenges facing Mali. By the end of the 2024 fiscal year, only 51% of the set targets had been achieved.

“Precautionary measures were taken following the Auditor General’s report, which highlighted administrative and financial irregularities within the agency. Changes to the general management were made to strengthen governance and ensure more transparent and rigorous management,” the agency said.

Source: Extensia

Zambia Looks to Public-Private Partnership to Optimize Digital Infrastructure

Zambia

The Zambian government wants to work with the private sector to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure, recognizing its crucial role in accelerating technological advancements and driving economic growth. The initiative is expected to improve government services.

Percy Chinyama, National Coordinator of the Smart Zambia Digital Transformation Institute, discussed partnership opportunities in this area with a delegation from Airtel Africa. It was led by Oliver Fortuin, CEO of Airtel Business Africa, and Lindiwe Banda, Chief Business Officer of Airtel Zambia. The government did not specify what infrastructure it plans to partner with the private sector on. However, it could include telecom towers, fibre optics, data centres, etc.

Currently, the United Nations has given a score of 0.5088 out of 1 on the telecom infrastructure index that is part of the e-Government Development Index (EGDI). Furthermore, the government highlights deficits in the national digital infrastructure in the “National Digital Transformation Strategy 2023–2027.”.

These include limited investment in rural areas. This contrasts with a duplication of infrastructure, such as fiber optic networks, observed in urban areas. According to data from the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA), only 83 of the country’s 116 districts have fiber optic points of presence.

Furthermore, the executive believes that Zambia’s current infrastructure is not suited to emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and the exploitation of big data. For example, most telecom sites are still on 2G, a technology with limited capacities, hampering the development of the digital sector in a rapidly changing technological environment.

Strengthening telecom infrastructure could accelerate Zambia’s digital transformation, with the country scoring 0.5424 out of 1 on the UN e-Government Development Index, ranking 130 out of 193, below the global average of 0.6382. However, low internet adoption remains a barrier to people’s participation in the digital economy. According to the ITU, Zambia’s internet penetration rate was 31.2%, with a population estimated at 20.7 million by the World Bank in 2023.

Source: Agency EcoFin

Maroc Telecom’s Gabon subsidiary evades nationalization push

Maroc

Moov Africa Gabon, the local subsidiary of Morocco’s Maroc Telecom, was spared a nationalization push that affected many strategic firms in the country.

Speaking at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), Gabon’s minister of digital economy made it clear that “the sector of telecommunications was not concerned by nationalization policies.”

Since Brice Oligui Nguima took power following a coup in the country, he set sights on large companies in the country in a bid to strengthen sovereignty.

Gabon has nationalized Assala Energy and the shares that Vivo Energy held in the Société Gabonaise d’Entreposage des Produits Pétroliers (SGEPP) in a bid to make Gabon a significant player in the hydrocarbons industry.

An economic commission in the country recommended the takeover of telecommunications companies.

So far, Maroc Telecom has evaded the nationalization plan. The company holds a 52% market share in Gabon, while its main competitor, Ariel Gabon, holds 48%.

Source: Extensia

Beyond the Hype: How AI Will Shape Telecom Infrastructure in 2025 

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While many focus on AI’s role in customer service chatbots or network monitoring capabilities, the underlying changes run deeper: AI will help alter how telecom services are structured, delivered and optimized. Here are our predictions for 2025.

#1: AI Will Enhance Network Intelligence

Traditional telecom networks generate massive amounts of data, but this information remains trapped in silos, limiting its utility. In 2025, a significant shift will start to occur as Large Language Models (LLMs) begin integrating across the entire telecom stack, changing how networks operate and adapt

LLM-powered systems will enhance network management through conversational interfaces, allowing administrators to interact naturally with their data. By recognizing patterns across previously disconnected data points, these systems will enable proactive maintenance and help predict network failures, reducing service interruptions. The technology will also optimize network resources automatically, using real-time usage patterns and predicted demand to improve capacity allocation and cost management.

These systems will convert raw telecom data into actionable business intelligence. Network operators will gain new insights into customer lifetime value and identify service opportunities that were previously hidden and uncorrelated in siloed data environments.

However, this advancement comes with important caveats. Network operators must carefully validate AI-generated insights, as LLMs can hallucinate with a high degree of inaccuracy. The challenge of 2025 will be striking the right balance between AI automation and human oversight in critical network operations.

#2: AI Will Enable Autonomous Network Operations

Self-healing networks will emerge in 2025 as AI takes on a larger role in network operations and performance management. Telecom providers are moving beyond basic automation toward autonomous networks that can predict, prevent and resolve issues with minimal human intervention.

The addition of AI systems, such as Agentic AI, that interact with a combination of other AI technologies including machine learning, natural language processing and automation technologies, allows decisions around network optimization and performance to be made autonomously without constant human guidance and attention. Agentic AI will make decisions and adapt to changes autonomously based on predictions and human behavior, learning and improving from these interactions as it goes to proactively solve complex network problems independently.

These types of systems mark an important shift in network management, analyzing network data to prevent potential issues or resolving issues faster and more efficiently. From identifying signaling storms to adjusting for bandwidth spikes from new device launches or fraudulent network usage, AI will optimize network performance while determining cost-effective operational strategies.

The industry acknowledges the risks in this transition. As telecom providers expand their AI capabilities, they must balance automation with transparent, unbiased decision-making that meets regulatory requirements.

#3: AI Will Reshape Telecom Economics

AI will enable new approaches to telecom pricing and delivery in 2025. Static pricing and service models are shifting toward dynamic, AI-driven systems that align with network capabilities and customer needs.

This change is evident in how telcos are adapting to bandwidth-intensive applications. Gaming illustrates the trend: as 5G networks mature, providers need pricing models suited to low-latency, high-throughput scenarios. The implications extend beyond gaming to XR (Extended Reality), enterprise services, private 5G networks, cross border plans, IoT and V2X (Vehicle to everything) deployments.

AI will guide this economic evolution by helping carriers implement responsive pricing strategies. These systems will adjust pricing based on capacity demands, service quality metrics and usage patterns, identifying revenue opportunities while optimizing network resources.

The transition moves telecoms from fixed service tiers toward flexible, value-based models. AI systems will analyze market conditions, customer behavior and network performance to spot and act on new revenue opportunities.

#4: AI Will Advance Customer Experience

AI’s role in telecommunications customer service will expand in 2025, moving beyond today’s basic chatbots. AI assistants will act as problem-solvers, analyzing usage patterns and suggesting plan adjustments based on individual needs.

These systems will graduate to addressing complex issues, including billing discrepancies, device troubleshooting and service disruptions more efficiently than current solutions. By connecting with autonomous network operations, these assistants can identify and resolve problems in a contextual, conversational, human-like interface and in most cases resolve them before customers notice them.

Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) will introduce AI co-pilots that change how customers interact with their providers. These assistants, available through mobile devices, will offer immediate support without requiring traditional customer service channels. They’ll function as service advisors, using network data and economic insights to customize service recommendations.

Looking ahead

While these changes won’t fully mature by 2025, the year will mark AI’s shift from experimental to established technology in telecom infrastructure, alongside a paradigm shift from AI assisting Humans to Humans assisting AI. Success will come to organizations that grasp AI’s broader potential: moving beyond automation to reshape how telecom services are delivered.

This evolution brings challenges, from privacy concerns to data governance and AI validation requirements. Yet the benefits—improved network efficiency and personalized services—make adoption necessary.

As we approach 2025, the question becomes not whether AI will alter telecom infrastructure but how organizations will adapt to and use these capabilities to drive better business performance.

Source: www.thefastmode.com

Author: Adil Belihomji

Adil Belihomji is the chief technology officer at OXIO, where he leads the technology vision and strategy for the company’s global telecom-as-a-service (TaaS) platform. He plays a pivotal role in driving product innovation while overseeing the development and implementation of technology solutions.