Telecom
Govt, Regulatory Support ‘Critical’ for Improving Africa’s 4G Performance
Global connectivity intelligence firm Ookla says government support and policy action are crucial in facilitating the roll out of 4G networks across Africa.
According to Ookla, operators require assistance from authorities in the face of adverse macroeconomic, operating, and consumer affordability issues.
The company today released its review of how 4G performance has improved in certain African countries since June 2020, based on Speedtest Intelligence data.
Ookla says it analysed select African countries, that have consistently improved their ranking in its Speedtest Global Index between June 2020 and June 2023, as well as examine the drivers that contributed to the various rises.
The company analysed 4G performance in Cote d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Libya, Nigeria, Namibia, Mauritius, and Zimbabwe.
The connectivity intelligence firm says these countries can provide lessons and best practices that other regulators and operators can apply to bridge their own 4G performance gaps.
Notable finding of the review include that access to 4G service across the countries examined increased from 64.40% in 2019 to 96.3% during the first nine months of 2023.
The review says Mauritius pulled further ahead than the other countries with median 4G download speeds reaching 27.33 Mbps, in Q2 2023. This pushes it ahead of Namibia which, until then, had the fastest download speed among the countries analysed.
Ookla comments: “Government and policy intervention is critical in supporting 4G networks rollout in Africa; operators need support amid the challenging macroeconomic, operating conditions, and shrinking consumer disposable income.
“Spectrum availability is crucial to improve network performance and coverage to meet growing data demand. Public authorities can encourage efficient spectrum usage by freeing up legacy bands, refarming existing ones, and adopting technology-neutral spectrum licensing.”
Karim Yaici, lead industry analyst at Ookla, covering the Middle East and Africa region, explains how the review was conducted: “We used Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index to identify African countries that have consistently improved their mobile speed ranking.
“We then used Speedtest Intelligence data to compare 4G mobile performance on modern chipsets between Q2 2020 and Q2 2023.
“We focused on markets that offer strong growth potential for 4G, so we selected countries whose 4G share of connections was lower than 50%, at the end of 2022 (based on data from GSMA Intelligence).”
He adds: “According to Speedtest Intelligence data, Cote d’Ivoire showed impressive improvement in 4G network performance since Q2 2020, reaching a median download speed of 23.8 Mbps in Q2 2023; the third highest speed, behind only Mauritius with 27.33 Mbps and Namibia with 26.92 Mbps. Tanzania doubled its 4G download speeds to 20.83 Mbps while Libya, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe had download speeds between 15 Mbps and 20 Mbps in Q2 2023.”
According to Yaici, improvements in upload speeds over the same period and the differences between the countries were less pronounced than download speed results.
He says: “With a jump of 1.6 times in 4G upload speed between Q2 2020 and Q2 2023, Tanzania moved from fourth to second place, ahead of Cote d’Ivoire and Mauritius and just behind Namibia.
“Notably, Libya lagged behind other countries in download and upload speeds, but improved markedly over three years, despite being the last one to launch 4G in 2018, and arguably, where operators had the most challenging environment.”
With the introduction of Travel Saga, a premium, fast-paced gaming experience that is currently live and accessible to customers on its network, Globacom has lifted the bar for mobile entertainment in the country.
Travel Saga is a story-driven, intricately connected role-playing game designed to provide the thrill, complexity, and competitive intensity of some of the most well-known action games in the world.
The game, which has been painstakingly optimized for mobile devices, redefines mobile gaming as a full-fledged digital battlefield by translating a console-grade experience onto data-enabled handsets.
Fundamentally, Travel Saga takes users on quick virtual journeys against recognizable international landscapes. In a dynamic, ever-evolving gaming environment, players are thrown into furious missions, fierce fights, and ever-expanding tales where talent, strategy, and endurance determine who rises through the ranks to become a true war hero.
In addition to the excitement of fighting, users are encouraged to go to various locations, take part in thrilling challenges, and participate in intense competition for in-app rewards like points and victory badges. With each encounter and accomplishment, the immersion increases with each level, maintaining momentum and excitement.
Flexible subscription plans with one-time or auto-renewal choices are available to subscribers for the service, which costs ₦100 per day and ₦250 per week. By dialing *70021#, customers can quickly subscribe and gain instant access to the action.
With Travel Saga, Glo reaffirms its dedication to innovation and high-end digital experiences, making top-notch gaming easily accessible to its customers. The game offers uninterrupted action, adventure, and competition, all smoothly supported by the Glo network.
SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.
SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.
Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
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