Tizeti expands and set to improve broadband connectivity in Cote d’Ívoire in partnership with Microsoft

Tizeti (www.Tizeti.com), a leading West African internet service provider, announced an expanded collaboration with Microsoft to solve the issue of broadband underdevelopment in Cote d’voire and provide internet access to nearly five million people.

The partnership aims to provide underserved communities and people in the country with affordable and dependable high-speed internet access, addressing the significant broadband gap that has hampered economic development and social progress in the region, and empowering more Ivorians to participate in the digital economy.

Cote d’voire is estimated to have less than 40% internet penetration, with fixed internet penetration hovering around 2%. Due to a heritage of poor international connectivity, which resulted in high wholesale rates, insufficient bandwidth, and a lack of access for alternative operators to international infrastructure, the fixed internet and broadband industries in Cote d’voire remain underdeveloped. Subsea infrastructure is available from operators such as MainOne and Africa Coast to Europe, with 2Africa expected to arrive in 2023. While the submarine cable vertical is more competitive, Cote d’voire has a restricted number of last-mile providers who pull internet bandwidth and distribute it to homes, offices, schools, hospitals, and other government facilities.

Tizeti will collaborate with Microsoft’s Airband Initiative to deploy high-speed internet infrastructure, employing Tizeti’s low-cost wireless technology. This will make it easier and less expensive for people to connect to the internet and the digital economy. These collaborative activities are part of Microsoft’s aim to bring internet access to 100 million Africans by the end of 2025, which fits with Tizeti’s objective of connecting more people to the internet in a cost-effective manner.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with Microsoft to bring reliable and affordable high-speed internet access to underserved communities in Cote d’voire,” said Kendall Ananyi, CEO of Tizeti. “At Tizeti, our mission is to bring affordable and reliable internet to more Africans living outside the digital envelope, and this partnership is a significant step toward that goal.” This collaboration with Microsoft is part of our ongoing efforts to provide world-class internet connectivity to the people of Africa, beginning with Nigeria and now Cote d’Ivoire.”

Microsoft’s Airband Initiative aims to advance digital equity—access to affordable internet, affordable devices, and digital skills—as a global platform for empowerment and digital transformation.

We are committed to giving high-speed internet access to five million people in Cote d’Ivoire by the end of 2025 through our expanded relationship with Tizeti,” said Vickie Robinson, General Manager of Microsoft’s Airband Initiative. “Partners like Tizeti are essential to the Airband ecosystem, which relies on local knowledge as well as public and private organizations of all sizes to tailor regional solutions.” The extension to Cote d’Ivoire will aid in the building of long-term infrastructure that will support local development and decrease barriers to connectivity.

There is still a significant digital divide in many African countries. This distinction between connected and unconnected has evident implications for employment, education, family and social life, and information access. Collaborations like this one play an important role in overcoming emerging nations’ digital infrastructure shortfalls by using innovative technology and expertise to improve development outcomes for millions of people.