Microsoft Exceeds African Connectivity Target, Reaching 117 Million People
Microsoft has announced it has successfully provided internet access to over 117 million people across Africa, surpassing its 2025 target ahead of schedule.
The milestone was confirmed today at the B20 South Africa Summit, where the technology giant also unveiled a new strategic collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) aimed at digitizing the continent’s agriculture sector.
Microsoft first committed to deepening its connectivity investments in Africa in 2022. The company attributes the rapid success of reaching the 117 million mark to a “multi-layered” partnership model involving local Internet Service Providers (ISPs), hardware manufacturers, and international organizations.
“Without access to the internet, the promise of technology remains out of reach,” said Melanie Nakagawa, Microsoft’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “To meaningfully participate in this moment of transformation, we must also empower people with the skills to use these digital tools.”
The initiative has already yielded tangible results. In Kenya, Microsoft’s long-standing partner Mawingu has enabled clinics in Laikipia County to use video conferencing for specialist consultations in Nairobi, bridging the gap in rural healthcare.
Additionally, a partnership with asset financing platform M-KOPA has helped over six million people access connected devices through pay-as-you-go models.
Looking to the future, Microsoft and the African Development Bank (AfDB) announced a pan-African blended finance facility. This five-year initiative is designed to mobilize capital for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the agriculture sector while equipping them with AI-enabled tools to improve productivity.
The facility aims to serve as a blueprint for how technology and finance can combine to modernize agriculture, moving beyond simple connectivity to AI-driven economic development.
“The challenges we face are immense, but so is our capacity to act,” Nakagawa concluded. “Our connectivity milestone in Africa and the launch of the Agri-SME Facility are proof of what is possible when technology and finance move together.”
Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world.
Follow us on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates. Send tips to editorial@techtrendsmedia.co.ke
