Satellite partnership targets Southern Africa’s connectivity gap

Amazon Leo, Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network, is positioning itself to help connect millions across rural Africa by working with partners that understand local deployment challenges

Amazon Leo has partnered with Vanu, Inc., a provider of mobile network equipment and services, to expand reliable internet access to underserved communities. The collaboration focuses particularly on Southern Africa, where infrastructure gaps remain significant and millions still lack basic connectivity.

“Even in places like the United States, 20 to 30 million people have no access to broadband internet. In Africa, the problem is an order of magnitude worse. You’re looking at hundreds of millions without any connectivity whatsoever,” said Andrew Beard, CEO of Vanu.

A recent study highlights the scale of the challenge within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), where connectivity levels trail global averages. Almost one quarter of the region has no network coverage at all, with rural communities disproportionately affected. Around 40% of the population lives in these rural areas, many without access to reliable communications services.

“We can use the Amazon Leo constellation to provide connectivity anywhere, certainly anywhere in Africa and subsequently anywhere in the world,” commented Beard.

“With Amazon Leo, we can advance our timelines. Leo improves the quality of the connection, provides a faster connection, lowers the cost, simplifies installation, and makes it feasible to provide service virtually anywhere.”

With more than 200 satellites already deployed and hundreds more manufactured for launch, Amazon Leo is building the backhaul capacity needed to extend coverage to previously unreachable locations. By leveraging low Earth orbit technology, the system is designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity without reliance on traditional terrestrial infrastructure.

Founded in 1998 and operating across the United States, Rwanda and India, Vanu supports mobile operators in expanding coverage into rural and remote markets. Through Amazon Leo-enabled cellular backhaul, Vanu can deploy towers in areas where fibre networks and grid power are unavailable, enabling faster rollouts, lower installation costs and improved service quality. The rollout will begin in South Africa before expanding further across the region.

"Amazon Leo will enable more people on Earth to connect and thrive. We're building the network, but we need partners with boots on the ground—organizations like Vanu who understand the unique needs of their customers and have the experience to deploy solutions that work for them,” remarked Chris Weber, vice- president of consumer and enterprise for Amazon Leo.

According to research by Access Partnership, incorporating non-geostationary satellite orbit systems such as Amazon Leo into SADC’s connectivity framework could generate up to US$16.9bn in annual economic benefits. These systems are particularly suited to regions where difficult terrain or sparse populations make terrestrial infrastructure economically unviable.

The financial implications are substantial. The report estimates that using NGSO systems for backhaul could reduce terrestrial infrastructure costs by at least US$10.3bn for local operators.

Beyond direct economic gains, improved connectivity is expected to deliver cross-sector benefits. NGSO-enabled networks could support Internet of Things applications for vehicle and cargo tracking, potentially saving an estimated US$5.4bn in road logistics costs by 2030. The technology could also strengthen early warning systems for natural disasters, helping prevent infrastructure damage and saving an estimated US$1.21bn.

By complementing conventional infrastructure with satellite-based connectivity, Amazon Leo and Vanu aim to accelerate universal access to digital services. The initiative represents a meaningful step toward closing the connectivity gap in regions where reliable communication remains limited but urgently needed.

Multi-year agreement supports secure digital transformation of banking services and interbank systems

BIO-key International, Inc., a global provider of biometric-driven Identity and Access Management (IAM) technologies, has entered into a new multi-year strategic agreement with Sociedade Interbancária de Moçambique (SIMO), which operates Mozambique’s national electronic payments network

In collaboration with RunLevel, a regional systems integrator specialising in identity and cybersecurity solutions across Africa, BIO-key will help enhance identity and access security throughout SIMO’s financial ecosystem.

The partnership follows the companies’ first joint IAM implementation in Mozambique in May 2025 for a leading national bank.

As part of the new initiative, BIO-key’s PortalGuard IAM platform, PIN: You tokenless authentication solution and Single Sign-On (SSO) functionality will be deployed within SIMO’s infrastructure. The integration is designed to strengthen governance frameworks, enhance cyber resilience and simplify secure access for organisations connected to the national payments network.

The agreement aligns with SIMO’s long-term vision to implement enterprise-grade identity security in line with international best practice, while continuing to modernise Mozambique’s financial landscape. With this deployment, BIO-key reaches its 11th customer within the global banking and financial services sector.

SIMO holds a central position in Mozambique’s banking ecosystem, facilitating interoperability, clearing and settlement services among banks and financial institutions through the country’s single national electronic payments network, known as SIMOrede. As digital banking usage expands to support Mozambique’s population of 36.6 million, robust identity-led security measures are increasingly essential to ensure trust, operational stability and regulatory compliance.

“As Mozambique’s financial system continues to evolve, identity security is vital for ensuring trust, interoperability, and operational resilience across payment services,” said Juna Chiloveque, SIMO’s IT Security and Compliance, CISO. "Partnering with BIO-key and RunLevel allows SIMO to adopt modern identity and access management solutions that strengthen governance, protect essential systems, and support the secure digital transformation of our national payments infrastructure.”

“Partnering with SIMO and BIO-key on this project demonstrates RunLevel’s commitment to strengthening digital trust across Africa’s financial ecosystems,” said Miguel Guerreiro, managing partner, RunLevel.

“By combining local expertise with advanced IAM technologies, we are helping establish secure authentication foundations that allow banks to innovate confidently while safeguarding critical payment infrastructure.”

“Our collaboration with SIMO marks an important step in supporting secure digital banking infrastructure in Mozambique,” said Alex Rocha, BIO-key’s managing director – International. “Together with RunLevel, we are deploying scalable IAM technologies that help financial institutions modernise access, reduce identity risks, and enable trusted digital services across the ecosystem.”

Eutelsat and unconnected.org launch KONNECT satellite community WiFi initiative starting in Tanzania to expand access. (Image source: Eutelsat)

Eutelsat has formed a strategic partnership with unconnected.org to broaden access to community Wi-Fi services across Africa using the EUTELSAT KONNECT high-throughput satellite platform

The collaboration will begin in Tanzania, where unconnected.org plans to roll out the KONNECT community Wi-Fi offering through partnerships with local internet service providers, non-governmental organisations, system integrators and public sector stakeholders. The initiative is structured around a commercial framework aimed at accelerating returns on investment, increasing connectivity in underserved and remote regions, and ensuring sustainable long-term service delivery.

Both organisations intend to use the Tanzanian launch as a foundation for expansion into other African markets, working together to scale digital inclusion efforts across the continent.

Delivered via the EUTELSAT KONNECT satellite, the community Wi-Fi solution is designed to provide high-speed internet access in areas beyond the reach of terrestrial infrastructure. This enables institutions such as schools and healthcare centres, as well as small enterprises, to connect to critical online tools and services.

Operating from the 7° East orbital slot, EUTELSAT KONNECT is a high-throughput satellite built to offer enhanced operational flexibility and substantial broadband capacity across Africa.

Philippe Baudrier, Eutelsat’s Vice President for Africa, said “Through EUTELSAT KONNECT, we are already seeing the tangible impact that satellite broadband can have in communities across Africa — from schools and clinics to local entrepreneurs. Partnering with unconnected.org allows us to extend this reach even further, supporting the development of sustainable, community-based connectivity that delivers real social and economic value.”

Mea Thompson, CCO, of unconnected.org, said “Eutelsat KONNECT plays a critical role in Tanzania by extending connectivity into areas that have historically been impossible to serve in a sustainable way. By lowering the cost of backhaul, it enables viable business models that allow local ISPs and community partners to achieve a return on investment while connecting the unconnected. This is exactly the kind of solution needed to scale digital access in a way that is both impactful and commercially sustainable.”

The partnership reinforces Eutelsat’s broader digital inclusion strategy. In early 2025, the company surpassed a significant benchmark by connecting one million people in Sub-Saharan Africa to satellite internet, achieving its target two years ahead of schedule under the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition led by the International Telecommunication Union.