Close-up of a person holding a smartphone with the Helios Towers logo, highlighting telecom infrastructure investments in Africa.
Helios Towers, a major African telecom infrastructure firm, expects significant growth from the expansion of 5G and AI. The company, operating in eight African nations, saw a 14% rise in adjusted earnings in 2024. CEO Tom Greenwood highlighted rising mobile data demand, driven by cheaper smartphones and AI applications, as a key growth factor. However, experts warn that Africa’s digital infrastructure must improve for AI adoption to take off. 5G remains in early stages, with limited consumer penetration. Angela Wamola, head of Africa at GSMA, said 5G technology is only used by 1% of Africans, with its use mainly restricted to businesses. She said the technology is likely to remain largely restricted to businesses in the next few years due to the high cost of handsets and 4G providing enough speed for most consumers.
