Nokia and iSAT Africa revolutionise connectivity

Nokia has announced a strategic collaboration with iSAT Africa to improve rural connectivity in Liberia, aiming to bridge the digital divide and provide reliable, affordable network access to underserved communities

This three-year project will cover around 200 sites in Liberia’s rural areas.

The initiative will utilise Nokia's Rural Connect solution, featuring the advanced AirScale radio portfolio, including Massive MIMO radios, remote radio heads, and base stations. iSAT Africa will also benefit from Nokia’s MantaRay Network Management solutions, which offer a unified, automated network view to enhance monitoring and management, addressing the challenges of limited coverage and the significant digital divide in rural regions.

This partnership aims to expand network coverage beyond urban centers, driving socio-economic development in Liberia’s remote areas. The 200-site deployment will extend iSAT Africa's network reach, providing mobile network operators with a cost-effective and efficient solution. This expansion will facilitate access to essential services in rural communities, fostering social and economic progress in the region.

Osama Said, customer team head, West Africa and Enterprise at Nokia, commented, “We are proud to collaborate with iSAT Africa on this important initiative to enhance connectivity in rural Liberia. Our Rural Connect solution ensures robust coverage in remote areas, enabling voice and data services for communities that have been historically underserved. This partnership represents a significant step toward reducing the digital divide and fostering socio-economic development.”

Rakesh Kukreja, founder and managing director at iSAT Africa, added, “Our partnership with Nokia underscores our commitment to reducing the digital divide and enabling greater connectivity across Liberia. The Nokia Rural Connect solution offers lean, energy-efficient, and easy-to-deploy technologies that allow us to extend coverage into underserved areas. This deployment will strengthen our position as a leader in providing Networks-as-a-Service and improve lives by enabling reliable voice and data services and connecting the unconnected.”

This collaboration highlights both companies' dedication to advancing digital inclusion and delivering the benefits of connectivity to all corners of Liberia.