At GITEX Africa, Ericsson showcased its ‘Africa in Motion’ vision, reaffirming its commitment to driving digital transformation across the continent.
Majda Lahlou, President of Ericsson Morocco; Vice President, and Customer Unit Head for West and South Africa at Ericsson, shared key insights on expanding connectivity and advancing sustainability, and outlined how Ericsson is leveraging technologies like 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) to shape Africa’s digital future.
What key themes and initiatives did Ericsson highlight under ‘Africa in Motion’ at GITEX Africa, and how have they reinforced its long-term commitment to the continent’s digital transformation?
At GITEX Africa 2025, we showcased our latest innovations under the theme ‘Next Starts Now.’ We focused on critical areas like network automation, AI-driven solutions, sustainable infrastructure, private networks, and network application programming interfaces (APIs). These initiatives reflect Ericsson’s strong commitment to driving connectivity throughout Africa, powering smart cities, and accelerating industrial digitalization.
We also highlighted how these technologies help telecom companies evolve into agile, tech-driven enterprises that are better positioned to meet rising data demand and create new digital experiences. By strengthening digital infrastructure and services, we’re contributing to Africa’s growing digital economy, enhancing public services, and encouraging sustainable socio-economic growth. Our efforts are closely aligned with the continent’s vision, particularly Morocco’s Digital 2030 Agenda, and they underscore our long-term commitment to Africa’s digital future.
Beyond those showcased at GITEX Africa, what strategies is Ericsson implementing to expand connectivity across Africa, ensuring affordable and inclusive access for underserved communities?
At Ericsson, we believe everyone deserves access to connectivity. That’s why we’re actively expanding inclusive connectivity across Africa with solutions like our Ericsson Rural Site and Ericsson Spectrum Sharing (ESS). Our solar-powered rural sites offer sustainable, affordable, and quick-to-deploy solutions to extend network coverage to remote and underserved areas. We’re working closely with governments, local communication providers, and communities to ensure our solutions meet the real-world needs of affordability and accessibility.
These partnerships are vital to tailoring our technology to local realities and ensuring long-term impact. Through these initiatives, we’re bridging the digital divide, empowering communities with essential services like education, healthcare, mobile financial solutions, and employment opportunities, truly transforming lives and economies.
How has Ericsson embedded sustainability into its African operations, and what role does digital connectivity play in driving both economic growth and environmental responsibility?
Sustainability has always been at the heart of how we operate at Ericsson. It has guided our approach from the very start, influencing how we design, build, and implement our technologies. In Africa, we’ve integrated solar power into our Rural Site solutions, significantly cutting reliance on fossil fuels and expanding connectivity sustainably. Our advanced radio solutions, like our triple-band, tri-sector 5G radios, help reduce emissions and energy consumption.
We also emphasize responsible lifecycle management, including recycling and safe disposal programs for our electronic equipment. These efforts are part of our broader global commitment to achieving net-zero emissions across our entire value chain by 2040, reinforcing our dedication to a greener digital future for Africa.
Looking ahead, what are the key opportunities and challenges in deploying advanced 5G, automation, and AI-driven solutions to accelerate Africa’s digital evolution?
Bringing advanced technologies like 5G, automation, and AI to Africa opens incredible opportunities. We can revolutionize industries, enhance public services, and spur innovative solutions across sectors like smart cities, healthcare, education, financial services, and industry automation. These tools also create space for new business models, data-driven services, and local innovation ecosystems to emerge.
But, of course, significant challenges remain, like regulatory hurdles, infrastructure gaps, costs, and varying digital literacy levels. At Ericsson, we’re tackling these challenges head-on with flexible solutions and strong partnerships with governments, regulators, and local stakeholders. We also focus on knowledge sharing and training programs that help build local capacity to manage and maintain these technologies. Our goal is clear: to make advanced technologies accessible and effective, helping to accelerate Africa’s comprehensive digital transformation and deliver real, lasting benefits.
How can scalable and future-proof networks support Africa’s growing demand for cloud services, IoT, and digital financial solutions?
Africa’s increasing demand for digital services, whether it’s cloud solutions, IoT, or digital financial services, means scalable, reliable networks are more important than ever. We’re dedicated to meeting this need by providing advanced network infrastructures that are intelligent, adaptable, and ready to grow alongside technological advancements.
We use cloud-native architectures, secure network APIs, and sophisticated automation to enhance network capacity, security, and reliability. These scalable networks support everything from mobile banking and e-commerce to smart agriculture and industrial automation, making sure communities across Africa are connected, resilient, and well-positioned to thrive in the digital economy. As demand for data continues to surge, it’s essential that our infrastructure remains future-ready, not just in terms of technology but also in the way it enables inclusive growth and services tailored to local needs.
