ITD takes part in African telecoms innovation: Meet us at the TowerXchange Meetup Africa 2024

Join ITD’s decision-makers at TowerXchange Meetup Africa 2024, the must-attend event for telecom infrastructure owners and managers in Africa. From September 10 to 11, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, this key event will once again bring together the industry’s leading players to discuss the trends, challenges, and opportunities that will shape the future of towercos on the continent.

The TowerXchange Meetup Africa 2024 event

For the first time in eleven years, Meetup Africa moves to Nairobi, Kenya, bringing the action closer to East Africa to engage new markets, people, and communities. The event will take place from September 10 to 11 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, one of the country’s architectural icons. 

For this new edition, the TowerXchange Meetup Africa 2024 will maintain its core objective: to create a space for dialogue and collaboration between industry leaders, decision-makers, and technology innovators.

Among the main topics to be covered: 

• Growing urbanization
• Regional expansion
• Diversification of connectivity solutions
• Technological innovation

New for 2024, event participants will also be able to attend: 

• Digital Infra Power Summit will unveil strategies to secure reliable, cost-effective, and renewable energy for digital infrastructure worldwide.
• All-new Datacloud Africa will bring together data center, cloud, and vendor pioneers supporting the rapid growth of data connectivity.

Our participation

Jerome Perret and Michael Blot will be taking an active part in this event. Whether you’re in the aisles, on your stand, or in the lounge area, meet them to discuss our latest ClickOnSite and BuildAndRun innovations. They’ll describe our customer cases (such as MTN South Africa, Orange, etc.) and discuss your challenges and the ITD solutions we and our partners can provide. Make an appointment now to optimize your schedule:

The current state of the MNO and towerco market in Africa

According to the latest research from TowerXchange, the market for mobile operators (MNOs) and telecoms tower companies (towercos) in Africa has had an eventful 2024, marked by significant challenges but also emerging opportunities. 

2024: A year of resilience and adaptation

2024 proved to be one of the most challenging years for the telecom tower industry in Africa. Market players faced several major challenges, such as:

• Macroeconomic turbulence: Currency shocks, rising interest rates, and galloping inflation have significantly increased the cost of capital, forcing companies to rethink their operational strategies.
• The financial health of MNOs: The financial situation of mobile operators has become a major concern for towercos, requiring adjustments in their commercial relationships.
• Regulatory pressure: Cooperation with governments and regulators has intensified, underlining the importance of a collaborative approach to overcoming regulatory obstacles.

Despite these challenges, the sector has shown remarkable resilience. Leading towercos have sought to maximize the return on each investment and optimize the efficiency of their networks.

Insights for 2025 and beyond

As we look to the future, several key trends are emerging for the African MNO and towerco market:

• Growing urbanization: By 2050, Africa is expected to have up to seven megacities, with the majority of the population living in urban environments as early as 2033. This demographic shift will drive demand for robust telecoms infrastructures.
• Regional expansion: East Africa is emerging as one of the continent’s most developed regions, offering new expansion opportunities for towercos.
• Diversification of connectivity solutions: Terrestrial towers will be just one part of a broader ecosystem, including stratospheric and satellite solutions, to meet the evolving coverage needs of MNOs.
• Technological innovation: Automation based on Big Data and artificial intelligence is gaining importance, offering new possibilities for optimizing operations and reducing costs.
• Sustainability and energy efficiency: Growing demand for transparent emissions reporting from MNOs is driving towercos to invest in sustainable, energy-efficient solutions.

Thus, the African MNO and towerco market is at an inflection point. Despite the challenges of 2024, the outlook for 2025 and beyond looks promising. The key to success will lie in the ability of industry players to adapt quickly to new market realities, embrace technological innovation, and forge strategic partnerships.

The TowerXchange Meetup Africa 2024 offers a unique platform to explore these trends in depth and exchange views with industry leaders on future strategies. Visit us there to find out more.

We look forward to seeing you in Nairobi!