Tizeti and Eutelsat Collaborate to Bridge Nigeria’s Digital Divide Capetown, South Africa, With Community Satellite Broadband
Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL), the leading satellite operator has inked a deal with Tizeti, West Africa’s pioneer solar-based internet service provider and a leading provider of community connectivity solutions to jointly improve broadband penetration in Nigeria, especially in underserved locations.
The two companies announced during the sidelines of the AfricaCom 2022 trade fair that they will deploy Eutelsat’s KA-band satellite connectivity, Konnect, to reach remote communities throughout Nigeria and provide fast, and affordable internet services.
Despite 44.5 percent broadband penetration, covered largely by Mobile Network Operators, reliable internet connectivity is still limited to a few states. The partnership between Tizeti and Eutelsat will provide a complementary solution that leverages satellite broadband infrastructure and Tizeti’s community Wi-FI management platform to deliver a fast and affordable public wi-fi hotspot service, especially in remote areas that are difficult to reach by terrestrial broadband infrastructure.
Philippe Baudrier, Eutelsat’s General Manager – Connectivity for Africa said “Eutelsat’s ambition is to connect one million unserved people across sub-Saharan Africa to high-speed internet over the next 5 years and this partnership with Tizeti will help bridge Nigeria’s digital divide and unlock the wealth of social and economic opportunities that the internet brings”.
Speaking on the partnership, Tizeti’s Chief Executive Officer of Tizeti, Kendall Ananyi, said that satellite broadband will complement Tizeti’s existing initiatives and lay a foundation for a robust and thriving digital ecosystem across Nigeria. “Our partnership with Eutelsat extends our mission of bringing affordable and reliable internet to more Nigerians and provides us with the opportunity to accelerate the expansion of broadband internet via satellite, to bridge the digital gap and improve digital transformation for more Nigerians”, Ananyi said.
Konnect’s Community Wi-Fi (Konnect Wi-Fi) initiative has already seen considerable success across Africa with hundreds of sites providing internet access to tens of thousands of people every week.
For many countries in Africa, there is still a huge digital divide. This boundary between connected and unconnected translates into clear consequences for employment, education, family and social life, and access to information. Partnerships such as this play a significant role in addressing the digital infrastructure deficits in emerging economies, leveraging innovative technology and capabilities, to improve development outcomes for millions of people.
About Konnect
Konnect is the Eutelsat Group entity in charge of retail marketing for a new generation of superfast satellite broadband services. As its implementation accelerates, Konnect is redefining the connectivity expectations of people who live and/or work outside the geographical boundaries of fiber, enabling them to access an immediately available service with ultra-fast, unlimited, and competitive offers of up to 100Mbps. To find out more about Konnect’s offers, visit www.konnect.com
About Tizeti
Tizeti is a fast-growing Wireless Internet service provider in Lagos, Nigeria, delivering high-speed unlimited Wi-Fi Internet access to residential and business customers using wide-area Wi-Fi. Its services are available in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Edo and Rivers States. It is also expanding rapidly to other African countries, with successful launches in Accra and Tema, Ghana. To find out more about Tizeti, visit www.tizeti.com
About Eutelsat Communications
Founded in 1977, Eutelsat Communications is one of the world’s leading satellite operators. With a global fleet of satellites and associated ground infrastructure, Eutelsat enables clients across Video, Data, Government, Fixed and Mobile Broadband markets to communicate effectively to their customers, irrespective of their location. Around 7,000 television channels operated by leading media groups are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Committed to promoting all facets of sustainable development across its business activities, Eutelsat leverages its in-orbit resources to help bridge the digital divide while maintaining a safe and uncluttered space environment. As an attractive and socially responsible employer, Eutelsat assembles 1,200 men and women from 50 countries who are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service.
For more about Eutelsat go to www.eutelsat.com
