Vodacom logo. Picture: Vodacom
Africa faces the pressing challenge of balancing rising energy demand with the urgent need to cut carbon emissions.
Reliable, affordable electricity is vital for development, jobs, and digital inclusion, yet many industries – from healthcare and mining to telecommunications and manufacturing – remain reliant on costly, carbon-intensive diesel generators due to weak grid infrastructure and unreliable supply.
Addressing this at scale requires coordinated reforms, investment in renewables, and collaboration across public and private stakeholders.
White paper
Vodacom Group’s new white paper, Decarbonising Africa’s ICT Sector, examines this dilemma within one of the continent’s fastest-growing industries.
Expanding digital infrastructure drives energy demand, but also creates opportunities to embed sustainability.
Decarbonisation
As Ayman Essam, Vodacom’s Chief Officer: External Affairs, explains: “Decarbonisation in Africa cannot be approached in isolation or through a single sector lens. While we have set an ambition to work towards net zero emissions, progress depends on systemic change across the energy ecosystem.
“This includes policies that enable private sector participation, new financing models, and partnerships that can scale renewable energy solutions beyond individual organisations.”
The report highlights barriers such as fragile grids, financial constraints within utilities, and regulatory complexity, all of which slow renewable adoption.
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Private sector
To overcome these, it proposes reforms that encourage private sector participation, renewable procurement mechanisms like power purchase agreements, and decentralised solutions such as mini-grids for remote mobile base stations.
Vodacom’s own journey shows what is possible.
Renewables
In the past financial year, it matched 100% of purchased grid electricity with renewable sources, cutting scope 2 emissions to near zero. Since FY2020, it has reduced scope 1 and 2 emissions by 77%, driven by efficiency and renewable procurement.
Network optimisation has lowered energy intensity, reducing consumption per terabyte of data from 1.55 MWh in FY2020 to 0.36 MWh in FY2025.
Today, 61% of its total energy use comes from renewables.
Carbon Trust
Developed with the Carbon Trust, the research underscores that mobile operators are both major energy consumers and critical enablers of Africa’s digital economy.
“By sharing insights and identifying pathways forward, the report aims to support more coordinated action across the industry and take up the significant opportunity for Africa to build a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable digital economy,” Essam said.
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