Telkom champions digital public infrastructure to power Africa’s inclusive digital future
As the world’s business leaders gather at the B20 South Africa Summit, the conversation around Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has taken centre stage, and Telkom Group is contributing to shaping how Africa can harness DPI to drive inclusive growth, digital participation, and sustainable economic progress.
For Telkom, DPI is not merely a technological construct, but a strategic framework for empowerment.
It represents the essential digital systems, identity, payments, data exchange, and connectivity, that enable people, businesses, and governments to interact securely, efficiently, and at scale.
Just as roads, ports, and power grids underpin physical economies, DPI forms the digital backbone of modern societies.
Across Africa, the promise of DPI lies in its ability to bridge divides and expand opportunity.
When digital access is affordable, reliable, and universal, individuals can participate fully in the digital economy, accessing education, healthcare, financial services, and government platforms that improve quality of life and productivity.
“Digital Public Infrastructure is how we turn connectivity into capability,” says Serame Taukobong, Group CEO of Telkom Group.
“You cannot build trusted digital ID, payments, or service platforms without reliable networks. DPI sits on top of resilient infrastructure, and that’s where Telkom plays a critical role.”
Telkom’s participation at the B20 Summit reflects this conviction.
The Group’s contributions to policy dialogues and task force engagements are focused on digital access and infrastructure resilience, the foundational enablers of DPI.
Telkom’s open-access fibre backbone, spanning more than 180,000 kilometres, provides the connective tissue that allows DPI systems to scale securely and efficiently across South Africa and beyond.
Enabling transformation
Telkom’s infrastructure investments are not abstract; they are tangible enablers of transformation.
With 83% population coverage and a growing focus on township and rural connectivity, Telkom is ensuring that the benefits of digital participation reach all communities, not just urban centres.
By 2025, the Group aims to achieve a 52% national connectivity rate, expanding the reach of digital services such as e-learning, e-health, digital payments, and e-government platforms.
These initiatives are aligned with South Africa’s broader Digital Economy strategy and the African Union’s Digital Transformation Agenda (2020–2030), which prioritise inclusive access and interoperable systems.
“Our focus is on building the infrastructure that makes DPI work, open, secure, and accessible systems that allow governments and citizens to interact efficiently,” adds Taukobong.
“When connectivity is reliable and affordable, participation expands, and communities can access the platforms that power opportunity.”
Caption: Serame Taukobong, Group CEO of Telkom Group.
Telkom’s commitment to DPI is underpinned by quality earnings and disciplined investment.
The Group’s interim results demonstrate the strength of its infrastructure-led business model, one that balances commercial performance with social impact.
Through its open-access model, Telkom enables multiple service providers to leverage its network, stimulating competition, innovation, and affordability.
Public-private partnerships
This approach aligns with the B20’s focus on public–private collaboration, where infrastructure investment becomes a shared platform for economic growth.
Telkom’s fibre and mobile networks are designed not only for capacity and speed but also for resilience and interoperability, key attributes for DPI systems that must operate seamlessly across sectors and borders.
The company’s ongoing investments in network modernisation, cybersecurity, and cloud infrastructure are positioning South Africa as a regional leader in digital capability.
Telkom recognises that no single entity can build DPI alone.
Its strategy emphasises public–private partnerships (PPPs) to accelerate rollout, ensure interoperability, and maintain security standards.
By collaborating with government, industry, and development partners, Telkom is helping to create a trusted digital ecosystem that supports innovation while protecting citizens’ data and rights.
“The true infrastructure dividend is human,” concludes Taukobong.
“When digital public infrastructure connects people to opportunity, securely, affordably, and at scale, that’s when Africa’s potential becomes progress.”
Telkom’s engagement at the B20 Summit underscores its belief that digital access is the cornerstone of inclusion.
The Group’s investments in resilient networks, open-access models, and affordability initiatives are creating the conditions for DPI to thrive, enabling Africa to leapfrog traditional barriers to growth.
By turning connectivity into capability, Telkom is not only powering South Africa’s digital economy but also contributing to a continental movement toward inclusive, sustainable, and human-centred digital transformation.
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