Telecom
GSMA says Over a Third of Mobile Industry Racing to Net Zero
The global mobile industry’s race to net zero emissions is gaining pace as the UN’s Race To Zero campaign declares the industry has made a critical ‘Breakthrough’.
More than a third of the mobile industry, by revenue, has now credibly committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 or earlier, according to the rigorous criteria of the UN Race To Zero campaign.
In January, the mobile industry was the first sector to break through the 20% tipping point necessary to accelerate the systems transformation needed to deliver a zero-carbon world rapidly.
The momentum continues to build as almost two-thirds of the mobile industry has set science-based carbon reduction targets to cut emissions rapidly over this decade.
“As an industry, we are serious about our ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. There is no time to waste. That’s why we are acting now with 65% of the industry committed to reaching, over this decade, science-based targets that rapidly cut emissions.
“The mobile sector clearly demonstrates that, when at least 20% of a market moves, change accelerates,” said Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA. “Our ambition goes beyond our own sector, as we help other industries reduce their carbon emissions through the use of mobile and network services for their digital transformation.”
Race To Zero, the UN-backed global campaign, aims to reach ‘Breakthrough Ambition’ for at least 10 industry sectors by COP26. Its goal is to rally leadership and support from all non-state actors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery as the largest global alliance of credible net zero commitments.
Industries achieve this critical Breakthrough when 20% of the key actors within each sector join the Race to Zero and commit to transforming their sectors, consistent with Climate Action Pathways.
Nigel Topping, UN High Level Climate Champion for COP26, said, “The mobile sector has shown us what real sectoral climate ambition can look like – and I hope the rest of the world is taking note.
“We need to see this level of climate ambition across every sector of the global economy if we are to deliver a zero-carbon world in time. I would like to recognize the GSMA as one of our first ‘Race To Zero Accelerators’ for their unique role in orchestrating this huge industry effort in support of the Race To Zero campaign, from the start.”
Today, the GSMA launches its new annual report, “Mobile Net Zero – State of the Industry on Climate Action 2021.” This is the first analysis of how the mobile industry is progressing towards its ambition to be net zero by 2050. Insights include:
. Mobile operators covering 50% of global mobile connections and 65% of industry revenues have now committed to science-based targets
. 36% of the mobile industry by revenue and 31% of the mobile industry by connections have credibly committed to net zero emissions by 2050 or earlier through the UN Race to Zero campaign.
. Mobile operators worldwide are stepping up and committing to undertaking the relevant actions necessary to deliver a net zero world as laid out by the Climate Action Pathways.
. By 2020, 60 mobile operators providing 69% of the world’s mobile connections and 80% of revenue disclosed their climate impacts, risks and opportunities to the Carbon Disclosure Project.
. Research conducted by the GSMA with the Carbon Trust found, while the mobile industry is currently responsible for around 0.4% of carbon emissions globally, it enables carbon reductions in other sectors that are 10 times larger, equivalent to approximately 4% of global emissions
. 5G networks are built with network energy efficiency in mind; 5G’s specification calls for a 90% reduction in the energy use to transfer each bit of data.
To advance its ambition, the GSMA created a Climate Action Taskforce in 2019. The task force has grown rapidly over the last two years and now has 50 members, with networks in most countries globally.
Last month, 13 GSMA members across Europe declared they would reach net zero by 2040 as part of the European Green Digital Coalition launch. And in February, one of Africa’s largest mobile operators, MTN, announced a 2040 net zero target as well as 2030 targets averaging a 47% cut.
Today, Turkcell announced its commitment to use 100% renewable electricity before 2030. Embracing renewable electricity is critical to achieving net zero. GSMA members were among the first companies in the world to embrace renewable electricity. Nine operator groups are members of the global RE100 campaign[2], and more operators are committing to renewable electricity targets.
“As a global citizen, we believe that climate change is an urgent and significant issue to be resolved, and that it is our social responsibility as a mobile operator to pass on the irreplaceable global environment to the next generation. We are proud to be part of GSMA Climate Action Initiative and happy to announce that Turkcell is committed to use 100% renewable electricity before 2030,” said Murat Erkan, Chief Executive Officer, Turkcell.
“We will continue to use our technological competencies for producing environmentally friendly solutions and provide the most sustainable services to our customers for a better future together.”
“All participants in Race To Zero are committed to the same overarching goal: halving emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
“Race Breakthroughs must accelerate in all areas of the economy and society in order to deliver a resilient zero carbon world,” said Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Airtel Africa said on Tuesday it has partnered with SpaceX to introduce Starlink’s direct-to-cell satellite technology to all its 14 markets.
The satellite-to-mobile service will begin across Africa in 2026, with data for select applications and text messaging, Airtel Africa said in a statement.
Airtel Africa customers with compatible smartphones in regions without terrestrial coverage will have network connectivity through Starlink.
The deal also includes “support for Starlink’s first broadband Direct to Cell system, with next-generation satellites that will be capable of providing high-speed connectivity to smartphones with 20x improved data speed,” Airtel Africa said.
Last month, Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest mobile operator, became the first in Europe to launch Starlink’s direct-to-cell satellite technology in a bid to keep millions connected amid wartime blackouts and disrupted infrastructure.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has blamed the actions of the National Oil and Gas Suppliers Association (NOGASA), for the recent telecom blackout experienced in the Abuja area.
NCC
A statement issued on Friday by the Head, Public Relations, NCC, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, while acknowledging the challenges and impact of the degraded Quality of Service (QoS) in the area on subscriber experience, stated: “The challenges are a result of the activities of the National Oil and Gas Suppliers Association (NOGASA), which disrupted diesel supplies to sites with the attendant telecommunications services outages in Abuja.”
She however disclosed that the telecommunications sector regulator is committed to ensuring restoration of seamless communication services to the affected area, and all Nigerians at large, and recognizes the importance of reliable power supply for the provision of optimal telecommunication services.
“The Commission is collaborating with major stakeholders and licensees to address these challenges, largely caused by disruption to diesel supply affecting IHS Nigeria Limited, the colocation provider responsible for powering Airtel and MTN base stations in the affected areas.
“The NCC is actively engaging with relevant stakeholders to address the diesel supply issues and explore sustainable solutions.
“The Commission urges all parties to work together to collaboratively resolve these challenges swiftly by removing the diesel supply bottlenecks affecting critical telecommunications infrastructure, arising from NOGASA’s actions.
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“In the face of these challenges, we reiterate our commitment to fostering a conducive environment for the growth and sustainability of telecommunications services in Nigeria.
“We are taking proactive steps to facilitate dialogues between the impacted service providers and other stakeholders to promptly resolve the diesel supply concerns that have negatively impacted service quality.”
While assuring that the Commission remains dedicated to effectively managing the situation and will keep the public updated on progress towards restoring full telecommunication services in Abuja, Mrs. Ukoha appreciated subscribers for their patience.
“We thank telecommunications subscribers for their understanding and patience during this period and reaffirm our commitment to delivering high-quality telecommunications services nationwide,” she said.
Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has called for a fundamental shift in Kano State’s economic strategy, urging stakeholders to embrace innovation, technology and collaboration as the drivers of growth in the 21st century.
Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)
This is contained in a press statement e-authored by the Director of Corporate Communications & External Relations at NITDA, Hajia Hadiza Umar.
Speaking at the Kano Startup Weekend, Mallam Abdullahi acknowledged Kano’s long-standing reputation as the commercial nerve centre of Northern Nigeria and the wider Sahelian region, noting that its history of trade, enterprise and human capital provided a solid foundation for future growth.
Abdullahi emphasised that while these strengths powered Kano’s success for centuries, the modern economy now offered even greater opportunities through innovation and technology.
He described innovation as the process of transforming ideas into impactful solutions through commercialization, stressing that when ideas were effectively deployed, they created value, solved societal challenges and generated sustainable economic growth.
He noted that Kano’s large market, strategic location and vibrant entrepreneurial culture placed it in a strong position to take advantage of innovation-driven opportunities.
According to him, “Innovation is the process of taking an idea from inception to impact. Invention on its own is a cost centre, but when you commercialise an idea, when you turn it into a product or service that solves a real problem and creates value, that is when you begin to drive economic growth and inclusion.”
He noted that the state hosted numerous degree-awarding institutions across federal, state and private ownership, providing a strong base for human capital development.
However, the NITDA DG expressed concern that these institutions often operated in isolation from industry, with research outputs rarely translating into commercial or industrial applications.
He explained that innovation did not happen in silos and stressed the need for a strong, interconnected ecosystem that brought together academia, industry, startups, entrepreneurs and government.
According to him, universities should conduct research informed by industry needs, industries should leverage research to improve productivity and competitiveness, and startups should serve as the bridge that converted ideas into market-ready solutions.
The NITDA boss further encouraged entrepreneurs to leverage technology to build businesses that could grow beyond local markets, explaining that innovation-driven enterprises had the power to scale rapidly, create jobs and position Kano competitively at both national and global levels.
According to him, digital platforms and emerging technologies now made it easier for startups to reach wider markets and develop solutions that were previously unimaginable.
“You can start your business here in Kano, but your thinking must be global from day one. Technology has removed barriers. With the right skills and platforms, a startup in Kano can build solutions that serve not just Nigeria, but the world,” he noted.
Highlighting NITDA’s ongoing interventions, its Director-General outlined the Agency’s commitment to building national innovation capacity through targeted human capital development programmes.
He cited the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) initiative, which aimed to equip Nigerians across all segments of society with essential digital skills, and the 3 Million Technical Talents (3MTT) programme, designed to produce a pipeline of globally competitive technical professionals in areas such as software development, data analysis and emerging technologies.
He said, “Through DL4ALL, we are ensuring that Nigerians at all levels have the basic digital skills needed to participate in the digital economy, while 3MTT is deliberately building a pipeline of globally competitive technical talents who can drive innovation, create jobs and attract investment.”
Abdullahi explained that these programmes were key pillars of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritised skills development, innovation, job creation and inclusive economic growth as pathways to national prosperity.
According to him, empowering Nigerians with digital and technical skills was essential for building a resilient economy capable of competing in the global digital landscape.
“President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is about investing in people, empowering them with relevant skills and creating opportunities for inclusive growth.
“At NITDA, we are using digital skills and innovation as tools to translate that vision into real economic impact for Nigerians,” he said.
The NITDA boss urged all stakeholders in Kano to work together to build a functional innovation ecosystem that could unlock the state’s vast potential and expressed confidence that with the right mindset, strong collaboration and sustained investment in digital skills and innovation, Kano could reclaim its historic leadership role and emerge as a major innovation and entrepreneurship hub in Nigeria and beyond.
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