• Safaricom has signed a new deal with Ericsson to expand microwave links supporting its 5G network.

• The partnership also includes AI-driven analytics and automation tools to improve network performance.

• The move comes as Kenya’s 5G subscriptions and data consumption rise sharply.

Kenyan telecom operator Safaricom has signed a new partnership with Swedish equipment maker Ericsson to support the expansion of its 5G network. Announced March 2, the agreement calls for the deployment of additional microwave links to improve network capacity and reliability as Safaricom continues to expand 5G coverage nationwide.

According to Ericsson, the deal also includes plans to integrate artificial intelligence–powered analytics and automation tools into Safaricom’s network. These systems are designed to support faster decision-making and improve overall network performance.

“In collaboration with our partners, such as Ericsson, we are making great strides in expanding the benefits of 5G to Kenya’s consumers and businesses,” said Gerishon Gitonga Kithinji, Safaricom’s head of network planning and design. “Our new microwave deal will support us to deliver the high-performance 5G services in the country and will enhance customer satisfaction.”

In a report published in 2024, Ericsson noted that microwave and millimeter-wave spectrum play a key role in wireless backhaul for 5G and future mobile technologies. The company estimates that nearly 10 million microwave transceivers are currently deployed worldwide.

In Africa, microwave links operating on traditional frequency bands have long served as a backbone of telecom infrastructure. As mobile data consumption continues to grow rapidly in Kenya, expanding the capacity of these links has become increasingly important.

Data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) show that the number of 5G mobile internet subscriptions rose from 509,737 in September 2023 to 1.49 million by September 2025.

Over the same period, the volume of data consumed increased sharply, from 1.57 million gigabytes between July and September 2023 to 59.84 million gigabytes in the third quarter of 2025.

The regulator also reported that Safaricom held a 62.7% share of the mobile broadband market as of September 2025, compared with 33.5% for its main competitor Airtel, which also offers commercial 5G services.

At that time, Safaricom said its 5G network covered about 30% of the population, with 1.3 million 5G subscriptions.

Isaac K. Kassouwi