The Malagasy government has announced plans to connect more than 1,600 villages to telecommunications services in partnership with Chinese tech giant Huawei. This initiative is aimed at speeding up the country’s digital transformation. The project was revealed last week by Stéphanie Delmotte, the Minister of Digital Development, Posts, and Telecommunications, during a meeting with Huawei.
This new initiative will follow the "Digital Menabe Project," which aims to connect 200,000 people in the Menabe region, with a partnership agreement already signed with Huawei. The government also aims to cover 95% of rural areas. For example, Minister Delmotte praised Huawei's "Rural Star" solutions, which are "technologically advanced, provide extensive coverage, are cost-effective, easy to deploy, and well-suited for large-scale implementation."
According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in 2023, only 33% of Madagascar's population of about 31.2 million had access to a 4G network. In comparison, 88.5% of the population had access to 2G, and 68.2% to 3G, while 5G coverage was at just 6.12%. The ITU also estimates that only 20.6% of the population uses the internet. Furthermore, 38.1% of Malagasy people own a mobile phone, reflecting the mobile phone penetration rate in the country.
"We must start by improving network coverage in remote areas. In collaboration with key players in the telecommunications sector like Huawei, we have launched a series of innovative initiatives to ensure no region is left behind in the digital world," said the Minister.
However, it’s worth noting that the Minister did not specify the timeline for the village connectivity program. Moreover, beyond infrastructure deployment and expanding network coverage, the Malagasy government will need to address barriers to the effective adoption of these services. These challenges include access to devices (phones and smartphones), high service costs, and a lack of digital skills.
• Investors seem to keep focusing on yields, which are high for the moment• New Leadership might see...
• ECOWAS Bank funds 47.7-km stretch of strategic 700-km road project• Lagos-Calabar highway seen boo...
• Algeria grants commercial 5G licenses to top three telecom operators: Mobilis, Djezzy, and Ooredoo...
• IFC teams up with AfDB and Nigeria’s EbonyLife to assess a new fund for African cinema• Sector cou...
• Global coffee consumption projected to hit a record 169.4 million 60-kg bags in 2025/2026, up from...
• Ghana signs a deal with eLearning Africa to expand digital learning access across the country.• The partnership focuses on deploying modern digital...
Ghana launches the Oncology Nurse Leadership Program (ONLEP) to train specialized oncology nurses from seven African countries. The five-year...
Ivanhoe Mines signs deal covering 100% of Kamoa-Kakula smelter’s copper output. The smelter will process up to 500,000 tonnes annually, starting at...
African gas projects drive significant contracts for Asian shipbuilders, especially for Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) units. South Korean...
Kolmanskop offers a haunting blend of lost wealth, colonial history, and the unstoppable force of nature. Located just a few kilometers inland from...
Located about 40 kilometers from Cape Town’s city center, Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town is one of the Cape Peninsula’s most iconic destinations. This...