Airtel Africa has selected Nokia to build a transformative, high-capacity terrestrial fiber network spanning East and Central Africa for its cutting-edge fiber service, Airtel Africa Telesonic.
This strategic project is designed to connect multiple African nations and link key submarine cables to terrestrial networks, significantly enhancing digital connectivity across the continent. For landlocked countries like Uganda, the initiative provides a vital, high-speed artery connecting the nation’s digital economy to the global internet backbone.
By providing affordable and reliable digital infrastructure, this network will boost economic growth and improve the quality of life for communities across Africa.
Unveiled at the 28th edition of AfricaCom, the largest gathering of Africa-focused connectivity leaders, the project will directly connect the 2Africa subsea cable to Africa’s terrestrial networks. This will serve as the digital lifeline enabling Uganda and neighboring countries to access high-capacity international bandwidth — ensuring affordable, fast, and resilient connectivity.
Leveraging Telesonic’s fiber assets and subsea cable systems, the initiative will address Africa’s growing demand for wholesale data, stimulating economic development, digital transformation, and business innovation.
The network will be powered by Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) platform, which supports up to 38 Terabits per second (Tbps) of capacity. The platform is C+L Band Ready, enhancing scalability and performance.
This technology will enable high-speed data transfer and support cloud-based services across the region. Using Nokia’s advanced Photonic Service Engine (PSE) and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology, the network will span 139 nodes across multiple countries, providing a robust and future-ready digital backbone.
Razvan Ungureanu, Chief Technology Officer, Airtel Africa hailed the development.
"Deploying Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch platform marks a pivotal upgrade to our network infrastructure across Africa. This will provide greater capacity and high-speed connectivity to efficiently handle webscale traffic. With Nokia’s Photonic Service Engine powering our DWDM network, we are setting the stage for transformative growth and new opportunities across the continent.”
PD Sarma, Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Africa Telesonic, added,
“Our collaboration with Nokia is a significant milestone in advancing Africa’s digital infrastructure. By leveraging Nokia’s cutting-edge fiber-optic solutions, we aim to meet the escalating demand for data across the continent. This network will drive economic growth, empower communities, and create new opportunities for businesses and individuals alike.”
David Birungi, Public Relations Manager, Airtel Uganda, emphasized Uganda’s unique position.
“For Uganda, as a landlocked nation, the importance of this terrestrial fiber network cannot be overstated. This is our direct, high-capacity link to the global economy via the 2Africa subsea cable. It ensures the resilience and speed our market needs, removing geographical barriers to world-class connectivity. This partnership with Nokia is a vital step toward realizing Uganda’s digital vision — enabling businesses, schools, and communities to thrive on a fast, reliable, and affordable digital highway.”
Samer Lutfi, Head of Growth Group for Network Infrastructure, Nokia Middle East & Africa, commented said the company is proud to partner with Airtel Africa Telesonic on this ambitious project to enhance digital connectivity across Africa.
"Our advanced DWDM technology delivers high capacity and reliability to empower enterprises, drive digital transformation, and foster economic growth. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to connecting communities and driving progress.”
This landmark partnership underscores Airtel Africa Telesonic’s commitment to building Africa’s digital future — empowering businesses, education, and healthcare through reliable, high-speed connectivity that bridges continents and communities.
