Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a pan-African technology group has announced a new collaboration with Microsoft to deliver internet access to 20 million underserved people in Africa by the end of 2025.
According to a statement by the company, the new collaboration will initially target regions that include but are not limited to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia.
“Additionally, the partnership will allow for increased proliferation of high-speed connectivity to the farthest parts of Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa,” it said.
With a fibre backbone of over 100,000 km across the continent, Liquid is uniquely positioned to bring high-speed connectivity to the remotest of communities.
Nic Rudnick, group deputy chairman at Liquid Intelligent Technologies said access to high-speed connectivity is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.
“With a fibre backbone of over 100,000 km across the continent, Liquid is uniquely positioned to bring high-speed connectivity to the remotest of communities.
“Our vision is to create a digitally connected future that leaves no African behind, and this is just one more investment from us to realise the vision,” he added.
Data from International Telecommunication Union show that roughly 2.7 billion people globally remain unconnected due to affordability issues.
And rural areas around the world are mostly disadvantaged, as traditional telecom infrastructure fails to go the final mile in low-density regions.
Internet access is a fundamental right, enabling economic opportunity and development, Vickie Robinson, general manager at Microsoft’s Airband Initiative said.
“This new collaboration with Liquid Intelligent Technologies builds upon our existing collaboration to catalyse economic growth and development in Africa, enabling us to accelerate our efforts to extend high-speed internet to a quarter of a billion people by the end of 2025, including 100 million in Africa,” she said.
Microsoft’s Airband Initiative partners with a wide-ranging ecosystem of organisations to design, implement and support programs that deliver unique connectivity solutions designed for local communities and their challenges.
This includes working with broadband providers, local Internet Service Providers, energy partners, international organisations and local governments to deliver internet access in unserved or underserved communities worldwide.
“While the accelerated adoption of digital technologies on the continent has increased exponentially, it has also exacerbated the digital divide in Africa, as none of these technologies can be optimally used unless Africans have access to high-speed connectivity,” the statement said.
It added that these efforts by Microsoft and Liquid will play a critical role in helping to secure the future of Africans on the continent, thus paving the way for a true, digitally inclusive economy.
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