Mobile penetration spurs economic growth and transforms lives, connecting individuals, families, communities and nations across Africa to new opportunities. Although the sector is growing, three-quarters of the population remains offline. By expanding their networks across hard-to-reach areas, telecommunication companies such as Airtel Africa connect the unconnected and bridge the digital divide.

Expanding coverage, however, increases energy demand. When grid electricity infrastructure is underdeveloped, this demand is often met by carbon-intensive diesel generators. Since the impact of the climate crisis is very real for Africa and the company’s future, Airtel Africa plans to mitigate emissions that could result from expanding its network. At the same time, the telecommunications company wants to strengthen its climate resilience and leverage the opportunities a Net Zero future presents.

From Chad to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Kenya, Airtel Africa’s operational sites are often in remote areas. This complex structure makes determining the sources of emissions and climate-related risks much harder. Together with the Carbon Trust, Airtel Africa sought to cut through the complexity.