In today’s digital-first world, broadband access is no longer a nice-to-have. It is the foundation of modern life. Yet for millions of people across Sub-Saharan Africa and other underserved regions, this essential resource remains out of reach.
Whether the barrier is affordability, insufficient infrastructure, or a shortage of local technical skills, the outcome is the same: a widening digital divide that limits opportunities and reinforces inequality.
The connection between broadband access and economic growth is well-documented. Studies show that as broadband penetration increases, so too does GDP per capita. But the value of connectivity goes beyond numbers—it lies in the lives transformed. Broadband enables small businesses to access digital marketplaces, students to participate in online learning, healthcare workers to deliver telemedicine, and citizens to engage more actively with government services. It creates pathways for financial inclusion and social empowerment.
Building broadband where it matters most
As the world races toward full digital inclusion, one truth remains clear: connectivity cannot be confined to urban centres alone. The persistent broadband gap in remote and underserved areas challenges the industry to think beyond traditional deployment models. These communities often exist at the margins of commercial viability, where return on investment is slow, and conventional approaches to infrastructure simply don’t scale.
If we are serious about universal access, the way we build networks must change.
That means designing for adaptability, efficiency, and long-term sustainability. Modular, energy-efficient platforms that minimise power, space, and upfront investment are no longer “nice-to-haves” — they’re essential. Flexible, cloud-native network management solutions allow providers to monitor and optimise infrastructure remotely, a critical capability in regions with limited technical expertise on the ground.
Just as important is the ability to start small and scale over time. By aligning infrastructure rollouts with actual demand, operators can reduce risk, improve economics, and deliver reliable service where it’s needed most. This kind of agility transforms deployment from a one-time capital outlay into a strategic, ongoing investment in community growth and resilience.
Reframing affordability for impact
Affordability remains one of the most significant barriers to digital equity — both for end users and for those who deploy and maintain networks. The challenge is to deliver high-performance connectivity without inflating operational costs or compromising reliability.
The answer lies in designing smarter, not spending more. Energy-efficient network components reduce consumption and operational overhead, while open, interoperable systems allow for innovation and competition. Modular architectures mean that capital and operational expenditure grow in line with actual usage, rather than speculative projections.
This is especially crucial across parts of Africa, where power and infrastructure constraints are common. Here, cost-effective, low-footprint solutions — coupled with intelligent automation — can redefine what’s possible, unlocking connectivity in regions long overlooked by mainstream rollout strategies.
Ultimately, the question is not whether we can connect the unconnected — it’s whether we are willing to evolve our models to do so. If we are, the tools and technologies already exist to build networks that are not only more inclusive but also more resilient, efficient, and future-ready.
Empowerment in action
The power of connectivity becomes truly clear when you witness its real-world impact. One such example is Kayamandi, a township in South Africa’s Western Cape, where Nokia partnered with Fibertime to bring high-speed fibre connectivity directly to homes, schools, and community centres. Using Nokia’s ONT Easy Start for rapid service activation—and now transitioning to the Altiplano platform for streamlined, long-term network management—this was a deployment driven by community needs, not commercial templates.
The solution was built around local insights, collaborative partnerships, and a shared commitment to digital inclusion. The results were immediate and profound – students began accessing digital learning platforms and educational content that improved attendance and outcomes; small businesses joined e-commerce platforms, creating new revenue opportunities; and residents were able to connect with healthcare services and government platforms that were previously out of reach.
Kayamandi is a living example of what’s possible when the right technologies are deployed in the right way—with sensitivity to context, and in partnership with communities on the ground.
This model is now being scaled to reach even more South Africans. In partnership with Reflex and Net Nine Nine, Nokia is supporting a national initiative to expand fibre broadband access to underserved communities across South Africa. The collaboration, led by Reflex, leverages Nokia’s scalable, high-performance broadband technology to bring affordable internet access to millions of people, supporting essential digital services such as online education, telehealth, e-commerce, and remote work.
These projects demonstrate that when digital infrastructure is paired with local collaboration and long-term vision, connectivity becomes far more than a utility. It becomes a foundation for empowerment, giving individuals and communities the tools they need to thrive in the digital age.
Connectivity needs capability
Broadband access is only one side of the equation. Digital literacy, skills training, and capacity building are essential to ensure that connectivity translates into real-world outcomes.
We believe infrastructure rollouts must go hand-in-hand with human development. We work with governments, NGOs, and local communities to support training initiatives, create jobs, and build ecosystems that enable digital entrepreneurship and inclusion. This is especially critical in regions where the digital economy can provide a springboard out of poverty and into long-term prosperity.
To support this, Nokia recently launched its Innovation Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg. Equipped with technologies from our Fixed, IP, and Optical Networks portfolio, the centre provides a collaborative space for Nokia teams and partners to co-create next-generation solutions. By combining skills development with joint innovation, it will act as a catalyst for economic impact, strengthening South Africa’s digital infrastructure and helping build the resilience and inclusivity needed for long-term prosperity.
The scale and complexity of the connectivity challenge demand collaboration. No single company or government can solve it alone. That’s why we partner across sectors—from national broadband strategy teams to grassroots ISPs—and actively engage with global platforms like the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development.
These partnerships ensure that the infrastructure we build aligns with local priorities, policy frameworks, and community needs. They help turn technological investment into long-term impact.
Networks that lift, not just last
At Nokia, we believe networks are more than infrastructure—they are enablers of futures. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we create technology that helps the world act together by pioneering networks that sense, think, and act. Broadband should deliver more than bandwidth. It should deliver impact: empowering individuals, uplifting communities, and unlocking national growth.
The digital divide in Africa will not close on its own, t requires intentional design, open architectures that integrate seamlessly into any ecosystem, and a shared commitment to connect not just people, but potential.
With our extensive portfolio of fixed network solutions—spanning copper, cable, fibre, and wireless technologies—we are creating future-proof broadband networks that connect more people, more quickly, and more sustainably than ever before. Backed by Nokia Bell Labs’ century of innovation, we are laying the foundation for secure, reliable, and high-performance networks today, while enabling the digital services and applications of tomorrow.
Nehal Osman is the Business Centre Lead of Fixed Networks for Sub-Saharan Africa & Vodafone MEA at Nokia