Nigerian internet service provider Tizeti has entered into a partnership with Microsoft to introduce its broadband solution in Côte d’Ivoire. This collaboration marks Tizeti’s second international partnership, following its alliance with Eutelsat last November to enhance broadband penetration.
With this expansion, Côte d’Ivoire becomes the third country, after Ghana and Nigeria, where Tizeti offers its services, with plans for further expansion into Togo.
According to Tizeti, the partnership aims to address the significant broadband gap in Côte d’Ivoire by providing quality internet access to nearly five million people. At the beginning of 2023, the country’s internet penetration rate stood at 45.4%, with approximately 12.94 million internet users.
Comparatively, the average price for 1GB of data in Côte d’Ivoire is $3.06, making it the 173rd most expensive country globally. This price exceeds that of Nigeria ($2.96) and Ghana ($1.23), with the highest cost in Côte d’Ivoire reaching $15.31.
Tizeti utilizes solar-powered towers to reduce data costs and has achieved 30% to 50% savings on data cap plans in Ghana and Nigeria. Kendall Ananyi, the founder and CEO of Tizeti, expressed excitement about the partnership, emphasizing their mission to provide affordable and reliable internet access to underserved communities in Côte d’Ivoire.
Tizeti plans to deploy high-speed internet infrastructure using its low-cost wireless technologies in collaboration with Microsoft’s Airband Initiative. The Airband Initiative aims to promote digital equity worldwide by focusing on affordable internet access, devices, and digital skills as tools for empowerment and digital transformation.
Tizeti has reported profitability in three out of the last four years and reportedly generated over ₦11 billion in revenue as of August 2022. Ananyi noted the company’s growth over the past decade, highlighting their lack of debt, profitability, and dividend payments. With over 3,884 hotspot locations, Tizeti has built a tower each month since its inception, serving 2.8 million users in Nigeria. The company currently delivers more than 190 TBPS of data daily, accounting for approximately 20% of the data transmitted by Airtel, Nigeria’s second-largest telecommunications company with coverage in 36 states.
Through the partnership with Microsoft, Tizeti aims to expand its reach and bridge the digital divide by providing affordable and reliable internet access to more people in Côte d’Ivoire, thus contributing to the country’s digital transformation.
