This collaboration will allow Bayobab to optimise SMS connectivity while significantly reducing administrative costs. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Infobip has entered a strategic five-year partnership with Bayobab, a leading African digital connectivity provider

Under this agreement, Bayobab will leverage Infobip’s Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS) Customer Modules and Routing Management to streamline campaign management, APIs, analytics, and SMS delivery across Africa and beyond. Additionally, Bayobab will utilise Infobip’s advanced security solutions, including a best-in-class firewall, ensuring enhanced protection for mobile subscribers. This collaboration will allow Bayobab to optimise SMS connectivity while significantly reducing administrative costs.

As a leading connectivity and infrastructure provider in Africa, Bayobab operates extensively across the continent, managing over 115,000 km of fiber cable. The company provides access to and manages, either directly or indirectly, 24 subsea cables and over 70 Points of Presence (PoPs) spanning Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Revolutionising SMS connectivity

Traditionally, brands had to establish individual connections with each Mobile Network Operator (MNO) within the MTN Group to facilitate SMS termination. However, with Infobip’s CPaaS enablement platform modules, Bayobab is revolutionising this process. The new solution allows brands and aggregators to securely connect once and efficiently terminate traffic to MTN and other operators. This advancement enhances control, security, reporting, and efficiency, benefiting brands, mobile operators, and end users alike.

Kedar Gupte, chief mobility business officer at Bayobab, stated,"We wanted to simplify how brands manage messaging in Africa with a single access point, high-quality service, and necessary controls. Our partnership with Infobip equips us to do this on a large scale and is crucial for tapping into Africa’s growth potential, where consumers demand messaging solutions, chat apps, and internet access."

Matija Ražem, chief commercial telecom officer at Infobip, added, "Our partnership optimizes Bayobab’s SMS connectivity and routing across Africa, supporting its expansion plans. We invested heavily in our CPaaS enablement capabilities, which now serve MNOs worldwide with top-tier security and efficiency. Infobip has been managing global SMS traffic since 2006. We excel in the messaging ecosystem with the latest technology, secure processes, and best practices. Extending this to large entities is a logical next step. The timing is right for more mobile operator groups to adopt a hub approach and maximize their messaging opportunities."

These modules form a crucial part of Infobip’s comprehensive CPaaS enablement solution. The platform integrates core telco network capabilities with RCS MaaP building blocks and Camara-compliant network APIs. By offering this CPaaS enablement solution and Developer Experience network, Infobip empowers telecoms to efficiently monetize CPaaS opportunities. This initiative represents a major step in democratizing the messaging ecosystem globally, in collaboration with telecom providers.

Teraco partners with NOA to integrate wind power into its data centres, advancing its 100% renewable energy goal in South Africa. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Teraco, a Digital Realty company and a leading provider of interconnection platforms and vendor-neutral colocation data centres, has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with South African energy aggregator NOA to supply wind-generated renewable energy to its facilities

Reinforcing its sustainability commitment, Teraco previously announced the construction of a 120MW solar PV plant in the Free State. This latest PPA expands its renewable energy portfolio by incorporating wind power, ensuring a balanced energy mix. The agreement allows both Teraco and NOA to scale renewable energy procurement in response to growing demand.

Wind energy is essential for powering data centres that operate continuously. In South Africa, wind power generation is highest at night and in the early morning, complementing solar energy, which produces electricity during the day. By integrating both sources, Teraco enhances its renewable energy coverage.

Bryce Allan, head of sustainability at Teraco, stated, “The conclusion of this PPA supports our sustainable growth pathway. We appreciate NOA’s unique and collaborative approach in complementing Teraco’s renewable energy supply and look forward to a long partnership as we journey towards our 100% renewable energy goal.”

Karel Cornelissen, CEO of NOA, added, “NOA is proud to deliver our suite of renewable energy products to support Africa’s largest data centre operator’s ambitious renewable energy goals. Teraco is an industry leader and continues to set the bar high for renewable energy initiatives across South Africa’s data centre industry. By aggregating renewable energy from our fleet of generation facilities and third-party IPPs, we are well positioned to provide tailored and flexible solutions to help companies, like Teraco, reduce their carbon footprint.”

Renewable Energy Wheeling

Under this agreement, NOA will wheel wind-generated renewable energy from various projects to Teraco’s data centres. This energy will work alongside Teraco’s solar programme to maximise renewable energy usage. The projects will scale up gradually, with the first power expected to be delivered in 2026.

Wheeling renewable energy via existing electrical grids enables power generated in high-yield areas to be transmitted to urban users efficiently. This approach optimises renewable energy deployment and maximises generation potential.

Jan Hnizdo, CEO at Teraco, concluded, “This is an exciting time for Teraco as we take another significant step towards meeting our 100% renewable energy ambitions and those of our clients. We’re looking forward to these new wind generation facilities coming online and adding much-needed new renewable energy production to South Africa’s grid.”

Also read: iColo expands data centres with Siemon solutions

MTN Group Fintech selects Network International as its payment processor, expanding card issuance in Africa to enhance digital financial services and inclusion. (Image source: Network International)

Network International, a key facilitator of digital commerce in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), has been selected as the Payment Processor–issuing partner for MTN Group Fintech, Africa’s top mobile financial services provider

This collaboration marks a major expansion of the Network’s issuer processing partnerships across the continent.

Operating in over 50 countries and serving more than 250 financial institutions, Network International will leverage its expertise to strengthen MTN Fintech’s mobile financial services, delivering increased value to customers and stakeholders across Africa.

The partnership aims to launch card issuance products in major MTN Fintech markets, beginning with Rwanda, which is already active. Uganda, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria will soon follow. Network International will provide a full suite of services, including transaction processing, card management, and online fraud prevention, ensuring a seamless experience for MTN Fintech users who can access both traditional mobile services and digital payment solutions.

Dr Reda Helal, group managing director – Processing, Africa and Co-Head of Group Processing at Network International, highlighted the importance of the collaboration, stating: “Our collaboration with MTN Group Fintech marks a major milestone for our outsourced payments services in Africa. It demonstrates our ability to successfully serve Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) via our fully-fledged processing solutions and our continued dedication and commitment to the African region. We are excited to support MTN Group Fintech’s growth strategy, and its business development plans across the continent.”

Cedric N'guessan, an executive for payment and E-commerce at MTN Group Fintech, emphasised the partnership’s role in advancing financial inclusion, and added, "This collaboration with Network International is pivotal in enhancing financial inclusion across Africa and beyond. It enables our customers to actively engage in the global economy, aligning perfectly with our strategic goals alongside Mastercard to broaden access to digital financial services across the continent."

Meta’s Project Waterworth spans 50,000 km across five continents, enhancing global connectivity, AI infrastructure, and digital inclusion. (Image source: Meta)

Meta has announced its most ambitious subsea cable project to date: Project Waterworth. Spanning over 50,000 km, this initiative will connect five major continents, surpassing the Earth’s circumference in length

Once completed, it will be the longest subsea cable project globally, utilising the highest-capacity technology available.

Project Waterworth is set to redefine global connectivity, linking the U.S., India, Brazil, South Africa, and other key regions. This large-scale investment aims to drive economic collaboration, promote digital inclusion, and create new technological opportunities. In India, where digital infrastructure has experienced rapid growth, Waterworth will accelerate progress and support the country’s vision for an advanced digital economy.

Powering global connectivity

Subsea cable networks, such as Project Waterworth, form the backbone of global digital infrastructure, facilitating over 95% of intercontinental traffic. They enable seamless digital communication, high-quality video streaming, and secure online transactions worldwide. As a multi-billion dollar, multi-year investment, Waterworth will establish three new oceanic corridors, delivering high-speed, reliable connectivity to fuel AI-driven advancements across industries.

Meta has been a pioneer in infrastructure innovation, collaborating with global partners to develop over 20 subsea cables over the past decade. These projects include multiple 24 fiber pair cables, significantly exceeding the 8 to 16 fiber pairs found in most new systems. Such advancements meet the growing demand for high-performance digital connectivity.

With Project Waterworth, Meta is pushing engineering boundaries to enhance cable resilience and optimize deployment speed. It will be the longest 24 fiber pair cable ever built, leveraging deep-sea routing—at depths of up to 7,000 meters—and advanced burial techniques in shallow, high-risk zones. These measures protect against potential damage from ship anchors and other environmental factors.

AI is revolutionising every aspect of our lives, from how we interact with each other to how we think about infrastructure – and Meta is at the forefront of building these innovative technologies. As AI continues to transform industries and societies around the world, it’s clear that capacity, resilience, and global reach are more important than ever to support leading infrastructure. With Project Waterworth, we can help ensure that the benefits of AI and other emerging technologies are available to everyone, regardless of where they live or work.

Project Waterworth reinforces Meta’s commitment to expanding global connectivity, ensuring sustainable, high-capacity infrastructure to support the next generation of AI-driven innovations.