Africa Mobile Network: developing access to digital technology in rural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa Mobile Network (AMN) was set up in 2013 by Michael Darcy. It is the leading telecom tower builder and operator in rural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa (Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, the Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Zambia and Guinea Bissau), where it manages over 1,688 telecom towers. AMN offers the possibility of having low-cost, solar-powered telecom towers, allowing the largest mobile network operators in Africa to expand their 3G/4G network coverage in rural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This project is being financed with USD 40m by a consortium made up of Proparco, CDC and DEG, in partnership with the South African fund manager Metier Private Equity and private investors. PROPARCO is making a EUR 8m equity investment in Africa Mobile Network (AMN). This financing will allow AMN to deploy 5,000 new towers by 2022. The objective is to reduce the digital divide in Sub-Saharan Africa and promote access to digital services. AMN will expand its activities in over 19 African countries to attain a network of 10,000 telecom towers by 2025.

Over the next 5 years, this project will create 185 direct jobs and maintain some 4,400 direct and indirect jobs at AMN and with its direct suppliers. The deployment of the telecom towers will provide over 1.3 million people in rural areas with access to Internet. Most of the countries targeted are fragile States where information and communication technologies make it possible to develop security, public engagement, social cohesion and support economic development. 

The project will contribute to SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure).