The financing agreement, structured as a 10-year facility, will help fund the development of off-grid telecom infrastructure designed to expand connectivity in underserved rural regions.

The project forms part of iSAT Africa’s broader plan to deploy around 1,000 mobile towers across sub-Saharan Africa through a scalable connectivity platform. ([Ecofin Agency][1])

The investment will be channeled through the Mirova Gigaton Fund, which focuses on financing clean energy and climate-related infrastructure projects in emerging markets.

Under the initiative, the new telecom towers will operate entirely off-grid using solar energy combined with battery storage systems.

This approach is intended to reduce reliance on diesel generators, which still power a large share of telecom infrastructure across the continent. ([Ecofin Agency][1])

John Kimotho, investment director at Mirova Kenya, said the transaction highlights the firm’s goal of supporting the transition to cleaner energy while delivering social impact.

He noted that financing solar-powered telecommunications infrastructure can help cut emissions linked to telecom operations while extending digital access to remote communities.

The project comes at a time when telecom infrastructure across Africa remains heavily dependent on diesel fuel for power, especially in remote areas where grid electricity is unavailable or unreliable.

Industry analyses suggest that a significant proportion of the continent’s hundreds of thousands of telecom towers still rely on diesel, which raises operational costs and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

For iSAT Africa, the partnership is expected to accelerate its strategy of combining telecommunications infrastructure with renewable energy solutions to deliver connectivity in underserved markets.

Rakesh Kukreja, chief executive officer of iSAT Africa, said the collaboration with Mirova reinforces the company’s integrated approach to expanding network coverage across rural Africa.

According to him, deploying telecom towers powered by solar energy will create a more resilient infrastructure platform while helping reduce carbon emissions and support inclusive economic and digital growth in rural communities.

Through the investment, both companies aim to demonstrate how renewable energy and telecom infrastructure can work together to bridge connectivity gaps while advancing climate-friendly development across sub-Saharan Africa.