Ilitha Telecommunications has announced a significant investment from Meridiam at the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) conference in Geneva, Switzerland.
The ambition is to expand Ilitha’s high-speed fibre network to at least 500 000 low-income homes, impacting more than 2-million South Africans, and unlocking economic opportunity and job creation in these underserved communities.
“Access to affordable, high-speed internet is a fundamental human right and an enabler of economic opportunity,” says Vuyani Jarana, CEO and Founder of Ilitha Telecommunications. “Yet many people living in townships and rural areas lack access and remain locked out of opportunity.
“This investment from Meridiam will help bridge that gap by significantly expanding broadband access and opening doors to education, healthcare, and economic participation, while directly contributing to job creation and fostering entrepreneurship in the communities that need it most.”
The investment will focus on rolling out affordable, high-speed fibre internet to underserved communities across South Africa, starting in the Eastern Cape. By offering flexible, pay-as-you-go broadband internet plans for as low as R3 per day or R90 per month using fibre to the home and on-the-go WiFi from hotspots rolled-out in the area, Ilitha is making connectivity accessible to households that would otherwise struggle to afford it.
This will empower communities by providing access to essential online services in education, healthcare, and create much needed economic opportunity.
In addition to connectivity, this expansion will create significant employment opportunities, helping address persistent unemployment challenges, especially among youth and women. Previous deployments have shown that for every 36 homes connected, one job is created throughout the project, either directly in infrastructure deployment or indirectly through local service and support roles.
Not only does Ilitha aim to close the digital divide, but it will also have a transformative effect on local economies, creating jobs and fostering small businesses. With reliable internet access, township entrepreneurs can expand their businesses, students can learn, and families can access critical services that are increasingly delivered online.
“With this investment, we aim to play a catalytic role in the nascent but fast-growing internet market in the underserved areas of South Africa,” says Marie Lam Frendo, Meridiam partner and chief strategy officer. “But even more importantly, we expect to contribute to a tangible positive social and economic impact on township communities by providing them with reliable, affordable and fast internet connectivity”.
Founded in 2019, Ilitha received its initial investment from Microsoft Airband. Scaling up of Ilitha’s network rollout into these communities will not only bring them affordable quality broadband, but arguably, more importantly, will also create jobs, empower youth and women with much-needed skills in optic fibre installations and maintenance and broader digital domain; and create opportunities for entrepreneurship. This new phase of expansion marks a significant leap toward closing the digital divide and building a more connected and inclusive South Africa, where access to the internet unlocks limitless possibilities for all.
“With this latest funding, Ilitha is poised to enhance digital access and play a pivotal role in reshaping South Africa’s economic landscape, one connected home at a time,” concludes Jarana.