Africa’s telecom industry is in the middle of a major transition, one that goes far beyond connectivity. It’s no longer just about expanding networks—it’s about making them sustainable. That’s why Huawei and Ethio Telecom’s recent deployment of the first batch of Solar-on-Tower solutions in Africa feels so significant. This move isn’t just about keeping people online; it’s about ensuring that the future of Africa’s digital growth does not come at the expense of the environment or the continent’s fragile power infrastructure.
The Solar-on-Tower system is exactly what it sounds like: solar panels installed directly onto telecom towers, allowing them to run on renewable energy instead of relying heavily on diesel generators or unstable national grids. For a country like Ethiopia, where power access remains uneven and outages are frequent, this innovation could be the difference between dropped connections and reliable service. More importantly, it tackles one of the industry’s biggest blind spots: the carbon footprint of connectivity.
It’s easy to assume that digital transformation is always “clean” simply because it doesn’t involve smoke-belching factories. But the truth is that Africa’s expanding telecom infrastructure consumes enormous amounts of energy, much of it powered by fossil fuels. A 2021 GSMA report revealed that network operations account for nearly 80% of telecom operators’ carbon emissions globally. For a continent like Africa, where operators are racing to cover rural areas and upgrade to 4G and 5G, the reliance on diesel-powered base stations creates both financial and environmental strain.
That’s why this Solar-on-Tower rollout matters. It demonstrates that innovation in Africa is not just about catching up with the rest of the world—it can also mean leading with solutions tailored for local realities. Ethiopia is an ideal testing ground for this. The country has ambitious goals for renewable energy, already generating more than 90% of its electricity from hydropower, with wind and solar projects expanding. By tying its telecom infrastructure to renewable energy, it reinforces its identity as a country betting on green growth.
Of course, there are challenges. Solar technology requires upfront investment, and while Huawei is known for scaling solutions quickly, the question is whether African operators can justify the costs in the short term. Many telcos across the continent already struggle with razor-thin profit margins, heavy taxation, and infrastructure costs. Yet I’d argue that the long-term payoffs—reduced reliance on imported fuel, lower operational expenses, and cleaner air—make this a smarter bet than staying locked in the diesel trap.
There’s also a symbolic layer to this. For years, Africa has been treated as a “consumer” of innovation, often importing solutions designed elsewhere. But the deployment of Solar-on-Tower is a reminder that the continent can also pioneer approaches that the rest of the world can learn from. Telecom networks in Europe or North America don’t face the same grid challenges as Africa, but as the global climate crisis worsens, every operator will eventually need to rethink how they power connectivity. What starts in Ethiopia today could influence industry standards tomorrow.
In my view, the Huawei-Ethio Telecom partnership is a glimpse into what Africa’s digital future should look like: not just bigger networks, but smarter and greener ones. If this pilot proves successful, it could push other African operators—from Safaricom in Kenya to MTN and Airtel across West Africa—to adopt similar renewable-powered models. And if that happens, Africa won’t just be known as the world’s fastest-growing mobile market; it will also become a leader in sustainable telecom innovation.
Connectivity should not come at the cost of the planet. The fact that one of Africa’s biggest operators is already experimenting with renewable-powered telecom towers tells me the industry is finally waking up to this reality. The real question now is whether this spark will spread fast enough to reshape the continent’s—and perhaps the world’s—telecom future.
