Telecom
Satellite Technology Capable of Saving African Governments Billions
African governments and private sector organisations could save billions of dollars by adequately leveraging satellite networks and next-gen satellite technology for more effective disaster management efforts.
This is one of the key findings of “The Role of Satellite Communications in Disaster Management” white paper, released by Access Partnership, a global public policy firm for the technology sector.
The white paper outlines the urgency with which governments and the private sector need to leverage satellite technology for more effective disaster management efforts in Africa and globally.
If governments increase investments in physical and social infrastructure through the acceleration of transformational technologies, such as the effective use of satellite networks and next-generation satellite technology, this has the power to provide crucial data prior to, or when a natural disaster strikes, it says.
Satellite networks can also significantly reduce costs during emergencies, particularly where cellular networks cannot reach.
According to the report, the annual number of natural disasters is set to increase by 37% (from 442 to 541 occurrences) by 2025 globally. The impact of natural disasters is expected to be concentrated among low- and middle-income countries, which are relatively less prepared to adapt.
It shows that natural disasters currently cost the agricultural sectors of these markets more than $108 billion in damaged crop and livestock production.
Should the level of financing in climate adaptability remain low in these markets, the United Nations Environment Programme estimates climate change adaptation and natural disaster damages could cost developing countries $280 billion to $500 billion per year by 2050.
Because satellites are positioned above the earth’s atmosphere, they are able to produce crucial data on vast geographical situations and enable adequate disaster planning measures, which can save lives and reduce costs.
“Putting in place satellite services and next-generation satellite-enabled connectivity can mean the difference between saving millions of lives, or losing them,” says Ivan Suarez, senior policy manager at Access Partnership.
“As shown by this study, we need a concerted effort to fix the underlying inefficiencies of our existing communication systems. The availability of communication networks is directly related to the ability to respond quickly to emergencies and this move can also reduce government expenditure during and post-disaster.”
Satellite provides connectivity and broadcast services over vast geographical areas. It also offers extreme high-availability, which is not impacted by on-the-ground conditions, such as load-shedding.
With new entrants like SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service setting its sights on the African continent, there’s been a lot of buzz surrounding the satellite industry recently.
Important predictions
According to the research, weather-related disasters − such as hurricanes, tropical storms, floods, wildfires, tornadoes and severe storms − are likely to become more frequent and widespread in coming years, due to climate change.
This increased frequency of natural disasters, predominantly caused by climate change, is set to overwhelm the National Emergency Telecommunications Plans (guideline document by the International Telecommunication Union) and terrestrial service providers currently in place to minimise and mitigate the human and economic cost of adverse weather events.
Satellite data, combined with the use of data analytics and predictive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, can be used to analyse past behaviour and provide a forecast on future weather patterns, it notes.
“In order to combat the user knowledge limitations faced by our present satellite solutions and their application in emergency response, a revolution is needed, and satellite-enabled technology is at the core of it.
“The landscape of each jurisdiction may define the best deployment alternatives for a given country. However, the need for complementary satellite-enabled connectivity is a must for even highly-connected telecommunications markets, which also have under-served areas.”
The report highlights that more agile regulatory and policy guidelines for the fast deployment of emergency communications technology are required in Africa.
“The role of policy and regulation is key to guarantee responses are both effective and timely. For this, defining the institutional roles that are applicable during disaster and emergency management is of paramount importance.
“Licensing and authorisation frameworks need to seriously consider the human and economic importance of enabling complementary satellite-enabled connectivity in future years,” it states.
In the wake of increasing geopolitical tension, Cassava Technologies has unveiled its National Sovereign Cloud offering for African governments.
The solution, the company claims, will help the continent’s governments ensure data is kept on infrastructure that remains under local legal and operational jurisdiction.
According to the official announcement, made yesterday, the solution provides “secure, locally-governed digital infrastructure that enables the deployment of AI-enabled public services”.
The overarching solution encompasses cloud, cyber security, AI computing infrastructure, as well as local language AI models and skills support for governments.
The announcement comes amid increasing uncertainty over the hosting of sensitive national data on cloud services operated by foreign hyperscalers, which are subject to legal frameworks, such as the U.S. CLOUD Act. The CLOUD Act opens the door to allow American authorities to access data stored on the servers of US hyperscalers, wherever those servers are physically located.
Cassava has claimed separately that currently, “approximately 33% to 45% of the world’s data is hosted in the USA”.
The company added: “A sovereign cloud reduces exposure to extraterritorial laws, improves cyber resilience, and ensures that model weights and training data for public AI remain under national custody.”
The Africa Data Centres Association’s 2026 Economic Report states that “data sovereignty has evolved from a legal aspiration into a strategic policy lever”.
Ahmed El Beheiry, Group COO and Group Chief Technology and AI Officer, Cassava Technologies said: “Across Africa, governments are accelerating their digital transformation agendas and are increasingly focused on ensuring that data and digital infrastructure remain secure and sovereign.”
Announced at the Mobile Word Congress in Barcelona, this week, the Sovereign Cloud offering launch accompanied the launch of Cassava’s Cloud Partner programme.
The partner programme targets mobile network operators and system integrators across Africa to resell and distribute AI, cloud, and other digital services using Cassava’s infrastructure and technology platforms.
El Beheiry added: “We are expanding Africa’s sovereign AI ecosystem to build solutions that address the continent’s unique challenges while creating new opportunities for growth and digital inclusion.”
The programme offers partners access to NVIDIA Cloud Partner solutions, Cassava’s AI Factory, its own native AI solutions and its AI Multi-Model Exchange, which supports both Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini models.
Mazen Mroue, a non-executive director at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, has resigned effective February 27, 2026, to prioritise other responsibilities within the MTN Group, the company announced in a Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) filing.
MTN Nigeria
The notice, signed by company secretary Uto Ukpanah, stated: “This is to enable Mr. Mroue to focus on other priorities within MTN Group Limited. The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Mr. Mroue for his immense service to MTN Nigeria and wishes him success in his future endeavours.”
Mroue joined MTN Nigeria’s board on June 1, 2022, bringing over 28 years of telecom experience. A veteran MTN executive, he previously served as CEO of MTN Uganda and MTN Liberia, non-executive director at MTN Cyprus, and held leadership roles at MTN Ghana.
Since February 2022, he has been MTN Group’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, overseeing technology strategy and governance. Earlier, as MTN Nigeria’s COO from August 2018 to January 2022, he also sat on the MTN Nigeria Foundation board.
The exit follows MTN Nigeria’s stellar 2025 results, posting a ₦1.70 trillion profit before tax—reversing a ₦550.3 billion loss in 2024 driven by forex woes—marking one of the telco’s strongest rebounds.
Google has rolled out support for Yorùbá and Hausa languages in its AI-powered Search features—AI Overviews and AI Mode—enabling millions of Nigerians to get quick answers, summaries, and conversational web exploration in their mother tongues.
The update forms part of Google’s push to cover 13 African languages, including Afrikaans, Akan, Amharic, Kinyarwanda, Afaan Oromoo, Somali, Sesotho, Kiswahili, Setswana, Wolof, and isiZulu, selected based on high search activity across the continent.
Now, a Kano student can ask complex questions in Hausa, while an Ibadan trader seeks business tips in Yorùbá—both receiving culturally nuanced AI responses via text or voice on Android, iOS, or web.
Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Google’s West Africa Communications Manager, said: “Building truly global Search requires nuanced local understanding. With Gemini-powered AI, we’ve made advanced capabilities relevant in Yorùbá and Hausa, so Nigerians converse naturally with Search in their mother tongues.”
To use: Open the Google app, tap AI Mode, and query in Hausa or Yorùbá for personalised guidance—breaking language barriers and making technology reflect Nigeria’s diverse identity.
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