Airtel Africa and Vodacom Group have signed a multi-market infrastructure sharing agreement to extend coverage, lower costs, and accelerate high-speed network rollouts in Mozambique, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
- •The partnership covers fibre, towers, and small cells, aiming to strengthen network capacity, improve reliability, and reach underserved areas.
- •Both operators expect to cut capital and operating expenses by using existing infrastructure, reducing rollout time for new services.
- •The deal, announced on 12 August 2025, is subject to regulatory approval in each market.
“Providing connectivity to empower people is at the core of our strategy.” He described the agreement as “a proactive step forward in creating a sustainable, inclusive, and connected digital future for the continent,” Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub said.
Market Context and Industry Shift
“This partnership is aligned with our unwavering commitment to delighting our customers by always making our network available to them even in the remotest locations,” Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar said, “Even as competitors, it has become a business imperative for us to collaborate in the provision of critical infrastructure required to build resilient network with strong capacity to support the emerging digital technologies as well as the growing need for data-enabled products and services.”
Infrastructure sharing is gaining momentum in African telecoms as operators face rising costs and growing demand for broadband. In January 2025, Vodacom and Orange agreed to build up to 2,000 solar-powered base stations in the DRC over six years, while MTN and Airtel Africa have implemented similar network-sharing deals in Uganda and Nigeria.
If approved, the Airtel-Vodacom partnership will boost 4G and 5G deployment, support digital services such as mobile money and e-learning, and expand high-speed internet to millions across challenging markets.
