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Research
September 29, 2025
Wingu News
East Africa is experiencing a connectivity transformation as satellite technology moves from a niche solution to mainstream infrastructure. The convergence of next-generation optical networks, LEO satellites, cloud, and AI is driving unprecedented demand and redefining what’s possible across the region.
While regional GDP is projected to grow steadily, from 5.3% in 2025 to 6.1% in 20261, data demand is accelerating at a significantly higher rate, outpacing traditional fibre and mobile networks by a wide margin. This acceleration is where satellite connectivity becomes truly transformative, addressing the geographic, economic, and resilience challenges that have long constrained the region’s digital development.
For data centre operators like Wingu Africa, this shift represents a fundamental change. Data centres are evolving into central hubs where satellite and terrestrial networks converge, connecting customers on one side and service providers on the other in a dynamic ecosystem of data exchange. Wingu is providing the critical infrastructure layer in our markets, hosting the satellite operators and technologies that deliver reliable, high-performance internet to end users.
The Infrastructure Challenge
The numbers tell the story clearly. East Africa spans 2.9 million square kilometres2 and houses over 330 million people3 across terrain that defies easy connectivity; mountains, lakes, valleys, and dense forests that make traditional infrastructure deployment both costly and complex.
The connectivity gap varies dramatically by market. Kenya leads the region with 97% 4G coverage4, while Tanzania has achieved 88%5. But these successes highlight the broader challenge. Despite being Africa's second most populous nation, mobile broadband penetration in Ethiopia is below 50% in many areas6.Following Ethiopia's 2021 telecom liberalisation, both newcomer Safaricom Ethiopia and incumbent Ethio Telecom face the challenge of expanding the country's network coverage beyond its current 50%, with Safaricom Ethiopia making substantial investments as it enters the market.
The region's reliance on subsea cables and the absence of East – West connectivity corridors add another critical vulnerability. When recent cable cuts disrupted services across multiple countries, they exposed just how fragile the current connectivity foundation really is. These outages underscored an urgent need for diversified, resilient solutions, of which LEO satellite connectivity offers an immediate and reliable solution at the end user level.
2025: The Breakthrough Year
This year has delivered the market developments that are turning satellite connectivity from future promise to present reality. Airtel Africa's partnership with SpaceX represents the most significant shift, deploying Starlink across 14 markets8 with licences already secured in nine countries. The initiative embeds LEO technology directly into Airtel's existing infrastructure, targeting the underserved schools, health centres, and small businesses that traditional networks have struggled to reach.
In August 2025, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) issued Africa’s first Direct-to-Mobile Phone satellite service guidelines9, placing the country among the earliest adopters of satellite-to-phone technology. TCRA also introduced new frameworks for Satellite Landing Rights Authorisation, creating a clear path for foreign satellite operators to enter the market10.
Perhaps most significantly, Ethiopia launched mid-year consultations on satellite broadband and gateway operation licensing. For a country with historically state-controlled telecommunications, this represents a pivotal shift. Combined with Ethiopia's large population and rapidly expanding digital economy, these regulatory changes position the country as Africa's most promising satellite opportunity.
Where Technology Meets Infrastructure
Satellite success ultimately depends on sophisticated ground infrastructure that can handle the technical demands. Gateway operations require resilient power systems, high-gain antennas, precision timing, and advanced RF capabilities, multiple fibre connections to the world at low-latency, exactly the kind of specialised infrastructure that Wingu Africa provides.
This is where the transformation becomes tangible. Data centres are evolving beyond traditional colocation into convergence hubs where satellite and terrestrial networks seamlessly integrate. Wingu Africa's facilities in Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Tanzania enable satellite operators to establish gateways while connecting directly with internet providers, CDNs, cloud services, and internet exchanges, such as AMS-IX Djibouti - our infrastructure that turns satellite capacity into practical connectivity.
The Economic Impact
The economics of satellite connectivity have fundamentally shifted, particularly for underserved areas. For remote rural communities under 2,000 people, satellite often delivers superior total cost of ownership compared to terrestrial alternatives. Where sparse populations make fibre expansion uneconomical, satellite infrastructure avoids the complex ground requirements and remote maintenance challenges that drive up traditional network costs.
This economic advantage is opening entirely new possibilities across sectors that have long struggled with connectivity constraints. In education, remote schools can now access digital learning resources through hybrid satellite backhaul that would have been impossible with traditional infrastructure. Healthcare providers are connecting rural clinics with specialist hospitals in major cities, enabling telemedicine services that bridge vast geographic distances.
The agricultural sector is being transformed as farmers gain access to real-time weather forecasts, market pricing information, and precision farming tools that optimize both productivity and sustainability. Meanwhile, financial services are expanding rapidly—particularly significant in markets like Ethiopia, where non-bank operators only gained authorisation in 2023 but can now extend mobile money and banking services to previously unreachable populations.
Performance That Delivers
Modern LEO constellations have solved the latency problem that once limited satellite applications. With response times of 20-40 milliseconds11 now rivalling terrestrial broadband, satellite connectivity enables the hybrid integration models that enterprises actually want, combining colocation, cloud, and connectivity services in comprehensive solutions.
Industries like mining, oil and gas, maritime, and agri-tech, which have traditionally been underserved by terrestrial infrastructure, are rapidly adopting these integrated approaches. Wingu Africa's carrier-neutral platforms support this evolution by allowing customers to combine edge computing, secure hosting, and diverse connectivity options while ensuring seamless coexistence between terrestrial and satellite networks.
Beyond Gap-Filling
East Africa is moving beyond gap-filling solutions. Satellites communication will enrich and stabilise everyday infrastructure across education, healthcare, agriculture, finance, and government services. Regulatory innovation, early adoption of satellite-to-phone services, and partnerships with global players can position the region as a benchmark for emerging markets worldwide.
"The foundations for East Africa's satellite revolution are in place," said Anthony Voscarides, Group CEO and Co-Founder. "The next five years will determine whether satellites remain a stopgap or become the cornerstone of an inclusive digital economy. With committed investment and collaboration, the region is ready to set new global standards for connectivity."
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