Digital Telecom and Datel Bring Advanced Satellite Monitoring and Digital Cadastre Systems to Africa
Through this partnership, Digital Telecom and AS Datel are setting a new standard for how African governments can harness technology to unlock untapped revenue potential, improve compliance, and promote sustainable growth.
Digital Telecom, a subsidiary of Digital Afrique Telecom (DAT), announced a strategic partnership with Datel, Estonia’s leading geospatial technology company, to deploy advanced satellite monitoring and digital cadastral solutions across Africa. This collaboration targets three critical areas—modernizing land administration, detecting illegal constructions, and monitoring illegal mining—bringing transformative tools to help governments increase revenues, enforce regulations, and promote sustainable development.
Building on Estonia’s global reputation as the world’s leading digital nation, the partnership brings decades of experience in e-governance, geospatial technologies, and secure data infrastructure to African markets – helping governments adopt trusted, future-ready digital systems for transparent and efficient administration.
The partnership’s core mission is to equip African authorities with precise, data-driven insights that can drastically improve governance efficiency and fiscal performance. Together, Digital Telecom and Datel will combine satellite imagery, geospatial analytics, and digital governance platforms to address long-standing challenges in asset registration, tax compliance, and natural resource management.
At the heart of the collaboration is the implementation of an advanced electronic cadaster system—a centralized, fully digital platform that integrates editable cadastral maps, automated land tax modules, address enforcement capabilities, and connections to secure national data exchange systems. This innovation will enable local and national authorities to maintain accurate, up-to-date property records, streamline tax collection, reduce administrative burdens, and improve transparency for citizens and investors alike.
Complementing this modernization effort is satellite-based detection of illegal constructions, a solution proven to deliver measurable fiscal benefits. Using high-resolution imagery and cross-referencing it with municipal building permit data, the system can identify undeclared buildings, mis-declared structures, and unregistered pools that increase taxable property value. In Spain, the municipality of Algete leveraged this technology to uncover over 300 undeclared constructions, 300 mis-declared large buildings, and 150 unregistered pools, resulting in a significant boost to property tax revenues. Authorities gain access to interactive maps, comprehensive reports, and built-in communication tools to directly engage property owners, streamlining enforcement and ensuring fairness in taxation.
The third major initiative focuses on detecting and monitoring illegal mining operations. By integrating satellite imagery with official mining registry data, AS Datel’s technology can accurately pinpoint unlicensed mining activities within targeted regions. This enables governments to reclaim substantial lost revenues, enforce environmental regulations, and plan for land restoration in affected areas, safeguarding both economic and ecological interests.
“By partnering with AS Datel, we are bringing world-class satellite and digital governance technologies to Africa. This is about more than just technology—it’s about empowering governments to protect their resources, ensure transparency, and recover revenues that can be reinvested in public services. From modernizing land records to exposing illegal mining and construction, we are delivering the tools authorities need to build sustainable, prosperous economies.”
– Simplice Anoh, CEO, Digital Telecom
“Estonia’s journey as the world’s most advanced digital society has shown what’s possible when technology and trust come together. At Datel, we have translated this experience into practical digital solutions that help governments make smarter, more transparent decisions. Our work with Digital Telecom brings that same e-Estonia spirit to Africa—helping local and national authorities use satellite data and digital systems to unlock fair growth, improve efficiency, and protect their environment.”
– Urmas Kõlli, CEO, AS Datel
Through this partnership, Digital Telecom and AS Datel are setting a new standard for how African governments can harness technology to unlock untapped revenue potential, improve compliance, and promote sustainable growth.
