Nokia and iSAT Africa have announced a partnership aimed at enhancing rural connectivity in Liberia. This collaboration seeks to extend reliable and affordable network access to underserved communities, planning to cover approximately 200 sites across the country over the next three years.
iSAT Africa, a key player in providing integrated communication services across Africa and the Middle East, specializes in broadcasting, rural connectivity, and satellite solutions. This partnership will leverage Nokia’s advanced technology to significantly reduce Liberia’s digital divide.
Nokia plans to deploy its Rural Connect solution, incorporating its comprehensive AirScale radio portfolio, Massive MIMO radios, remote radio heads, and basestations. Additionally, iSAT Africa will utilize Nokia’s MantaRay Network Management solutions to enhance the monitoring and management of the network, providing a unified and automated network view.
This initiative will tackle the prevalent challenges of limited coverage in rural areas of Liberia and is expected to foster substantial socio-economic development by extending network coverage beyond major urban centers.
“The deployment of 200 sites will notably expand iSAT Africa’s network reach, offering mobile network operators a state-of-the-art solution that is both cost-effective and highly efficient. This expansion is crucial for enabling access to essential services and stimulating socio-economic progress in the region,” stated Nokia.
Osama Said, customer team head for West Africa and enterprise at Nokia, emphasized the impact of the Rural Connect solution, “Our technology ensures robust coverage in remote areas, facilitating vital voice and data services for historically underserved communities.”
Rakesh Kukreja, founder and managing director at iSAT Africa, highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership, “Our collaboration with Nokia is pivotal in our ongoing efforts to bridge the digital divide and enhance connectivity throughout Liberia.”
The partnership aligns with broader digital transformation initiatives across Africa, where countries are increasingly collaborating with international firms to close the digital gap. This venture follows other significant efforts, such as Sierra Leone’s recent $50 million funding acquisition for its SMART Sierra Leone Project from China and Zambia’s collaboration with Google to establish an AI Center of Excellence at the University of Zambia (UNZA), underscoring a continent-wide push towards comprehensive digital advancement.
