Across Africa, home broadband is experiencing a clear shift. After years of heavy reliance on mobile data and limited fixed‑line connections, fibre‑to‑the‑home (FTTH) is gaining traction as consumer demand for faster, more reliable internet rises. Fixed broadband subscriptions have grown at double-digit rates as fibre deployments expand, and forecasts suggest that fibre and fixed wireless access together could represent nearly two‑thirds of all fixed broadband subscriptions by 2027. 

In markets such as South Africa, the number of FTTH connections rose sharply recently, with subscriptions increasing from roughly 1.5 million in 2023 to nearly 2.5 million in 2024  as providers such as Telkom’s Openserve and Vumatel accelerated deployment toward underserved townships and peri‑urban areas. In Nigeria, one of the continent’s largest economies, MTN has announced plans to connect up to 8 million homes with FTTH under its FibreX initiative, signalling a significant commitment to expand reliable fixed broadband across residential and business communities. 

This surge is not happening in isolation. In this #TechTalkThursday article, we look at what is driving this surge in FTTH across Africa, the landscape of adoption, the challenges that remain, and the outlook for the years ahead.

Africa’s FTTH Landscape and What Is Driving the Surge

Across Africa, fibre-to-the-home is moving from the margins into the mainstream, shaped by rising demand and uneven but accelerating deployment. Fixed broadband penetration remains relatively low in many markets, and service quality still varies widely. Yet where fibre has been rolled out, it is delivering a noticeable improvement in speed, reliability and user experience compared to legacy copper networks or congested mobile connections.

The shift is being driven first by data demand. Streaming, remote work, online learning, cloud services and digital payments are placing growing pressure on existing networks. Households that once relied on mobile data are now juggling multiple connected devices, video calls and always-on applications, exposing the limits of wireless-only connectivity. As urbanisation continues and middle-class expectations rise, reliable home broadband is increasingly viewed as essential rather than optional.

Several markets are already demonstrating how this demand is translating into fibre adoption. South Africa has emerged as one of the continent’s most advanced FTTH markets, supported by open-access networks such as Openserve and growing fibre investments from operators like MTN. Kenya is seeing steady expansion from providers including Safaricom and Liquid Telecom, while Morocco and Egypt have benefited from sustained national broadband investment and policy support. In these markets, fibre availability is directly improving service quality and customer experience.

Infrastructure developments are also reshaping the landscape. The completion of the 2Africa submarine cable, alongside systems such as WACS (West Africa Cable System) and EASSy (Eastern Africa Submarine Cable), has significantly increased international bandwidth and reduced long-standing backhaul constraints. At the same time, national and regional fibre backbone projects are extending inland, making last-mile FTTH deployments more viable in major cities and surrounding areas.

However, progress remains uneven. In many countries, FTTH rollout is slowed by regulatory bottlenecks, high deployment costs, limited access to capital and low average revenue per user. These challenges have concentrated fibre deployments in dense urban centres, reinforcing the digital divide between cities and rural communities. 

Telecom operators are responding with a strategic pivot. Rather than relying solely on mobile revenues, many are investing in future-ready fixed infrastructure. MTN’s leadership, for example, has publicly outlined plans to connect more homes with fibre across its markets, reflecting a broader industry recognition that high-capacity home broadband is critical to long-term competitiveness.

Together, these forces are shaping Africa’s FTTH landscape, one defined by rapid growth in some markets, persistent gaps in others, and a clear shift toward fibre as the foundation for the continent’s digital future.

FTTH and the Digital Divide

One of the most compelling promises of fibre-to-the-home is its potential to narrow Africa’s long-standing digital divide. Today, access to reliable, high-speed internet remains heavily concentrated in major cities, while rural and peri-urban communities continue to rely on slower and less consistent connectivity. FTTH is not a cure-all, but when deployed thoughtfully, it can play a meaningful role in changing this dynamic. 

“Initially, there are key demographics we focus on, but we also have a strategy to reach other segments of the market that are traditionally the most unconnected. We can bring fiber, or a combination of fiber and wireless technologies, to those areas as well to ensure they are included. We do not want to expand the digital divide or leave people behind.”

– Kevin McLoughlin, Vice President, Open Access Metro

Where fibre reaches homes, the impact is immediate. Students are better able to participate in online learning without disruptions. Healthcare providers can support telemedicine services that depend on stable, high-quality connections rather than congested mobile networks. Small businesses and entrepreneurs gain access to digital tools, e-commerce platforms and cloud services that allow them to compete beyond their immediate communities. 

In reality, most fibre deployments still begin in dense urban areas, where the economics are more favourable. However, shared infrastructure models, municipal fibre networks and hybrid approaches are starting to push connectivity further. 

South Africa offers a useful example of how this can work in practice. As the country’s largest open-access fibre network, Openserve has taken a balanced rollout approach, expanding fibre aggressively in dense urban areas while deliberately extending coverage into peri-urban and rural communities where commercial returns are slower. In urban zones, fibre deployment is driven by rapid customer conversion and revenue generation. That revenue is then reinvested to support rollout in underserved areas, where the focus shifts toward digital inclusion, social impact, and local economic development. 

“One of the key elements we focused on was a balanced network rollout strategy. Normally, we would roll out fiber in urban, highly densified areas first. Then we started selecting and targeting rural areas where rollout was essential. The objectives for these two areas are slightly different.  In urban areas, the goal is commercial return and converting customers as quickly as possible. In rural areas, the focus is on what we can achieve in terms of digital inclusion, societal impact, and creating economic opportunities for the community. When we evaluate our business case, we combine these two perspectives. In rural areas, we understand it will take time and that we need to stimulate the community further. In urban areas, returns are easier, and some of that revenue is reinvested into rural rollout.” 

– Amu Maja, Executive: Carrier and Global Business, Openserve

As Africa’s digital transformation accelerates, the challenge is no longer simply expanding connectivity, but doing so in a way that is inclusive. FTTH, supported by complementary technologies and progressive policy frameworks, has the potential to bring more communities into the digital economy and reduce the gap between those who are connected and those who are still offline.

Overcoming Challenges and the Road Ahead

Rolling out FTTH across Africa is no small feat, and like other major projects, it faces a range of local challenges. High deployment costs, complex right-of-way issues, electricity reliability, and occasional vandalism make building networks outside urban cores difficult. Regulatory complexity, including licensing, permitting, and in some cases monopolistic structures, can further slow progress.

Yet operators, governments, and communities are finding creative ways to overcome these obstacles. Shared infrastructure and municipal networks are lowering the cost of deployment, while hybrid approaches, combining fibre with 5G fixed wireless or satellite connectivity, are bringing high-speed internet to areas where traditional fibre rollout is less viable. Innovative financing models, including public-private partnerships and micro-financing solutions, are also helping extend access to underserved households. 

“Fibre deployment is capital-intensive, so we are constantly seeking ways to do things more efficiently and cost-effectively. Another strategy is leveraging anchor tenants. For example, we have partnerships with organisations such as CETA, where we provide connectivity to government facilities and clinics. By building around these existing points, we can extend connectivity to nearby households, because clinics and government offices are naturally surrounded by communities.”

– Makgosi Mabaso, CCO, Openserve    

Looking ahead, FTTH is poised to become the backbone of Africa’s digital transformation. Reliable, high-speed home connectivity will support smart homes, IoT applications, AI-driven services, telemedicine, e-learning, and a growing digital economy. Projections suggest wider rollout, falling costs, and steadily increasing adoption over the next five to ten years. Complementary technologies like 5G and satellite networks will continue to extend fibre’s reach, ensuring more communities can participate in Africa’s digital future.

In short, while challenges remain, the combination of innovation, investment, and policy reform promises a future where FTTH can underpin inclusion, innovation, and economic growth across the continent.