By Oystein Bergmann, Bureau Chief, Scandinavia
Nokia today announced a strategic partnership with iSAT Africa to enhance rural connectivity in Liberia, aiming to bridge the digital divide and bring reliable, affordable network access to underserved communities. This deployment will span over three years and cover approximately 200 sites across rural areas in Liberia.
The Nokia Rural Connect solution, including Nokia’s industry-leading 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 will deliver a unified, automated view of the network, enhancing both monitoring and management capabilities, addressing critical challenges such as limited coverage and the wide digital divide in rural regions.
By extending network coverage beyond major cities, this partnership aims to drive socio-economic development in Liberia’s remote areas. The 200-site deployment will expand iSAT Africa’s network reach, offering mobile network operators a cutting-edge solution that is both cost-effective and highly efficient. This expansion will help rural communities access critical services, thus driving social and economic progress in the region.
Customer Team Head, West Africa and Enterprise at Nokia, Osama Said, said: “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.”
Founder and Managing Director at iSAT Africa, Said Rakesh Kukreja said: “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 connect the unconnected.”
The partnership highlights the commitment of both companies to driving digital inclusion and bringing the benefits of connectivity to all corners of the country.
