Sub-Saharan Africa faces complex challenges as nations race to meet their 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN's global blueprint for a more prosperous world. Climate change, high government debt burdens, rapid urbanisation, and backlogs in infrastructure investment and maintenance are among the barriers that governments and the private sector face in driving sustainable economic growth and social development.
While technology is not, on its own, an answer to the region's challenges, the private and public sector is increasingly looking to new-generation digital solutions to unlock efficiencies and support progress. The Internet of Things (IoT), paired with artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G, enables African organisations to make data-driven decisions, automate processes and streamline maintenance and management of key systems.
IoT adoption is rising throughout sub-Saharan Africa, largely driven by sustainable development applications. The GSMA forecasts that sub-Saharan Africa is projected to reach more than 50 million licensed cellular IoT connections by 2030, with South Africa contributing over half. Smart utility IoT connections are expected to increase nearly six-fold between 2021 and 2030, driven by expansion of 4G and 5G networks.
IoT in support of the SGDs
IoT applications can contribute to the achievement of several key SDGs. When it comes to making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable (SDG 11), IoT-enabled sensors could provide real-time data about traffic patterns, carbon emissions and air quality to help city planners reduce congestion, improve public transport efficiency, and design cleaner, healthier urban environments.
In agriculture, farmers can use smart systems to improve crop yields and livestock management in support of SDG 2 (zero hunger). GPS-enabled ear tags and biometric sensors can help farmers track the health of livestock herds and prevent theft, for example. Meanwhile, soil moisture, humidity and flow sensors can ensure that crops receive exactly the water they need.
Tanzania's MazaoHub offers a soil kit that automates real-time data collection to track soil nutrients, pH, moisture, temperature and electro-conductivity. This information can be used to determine the best crops to grow in a particular soil and to develop a fertiliser application plan. And IoT-enabled smart weather stations can provide timely data on temperature, humidity, wind speed and rainfall for better planning of planting and harvesting.
Urban IoT initiatives can also address SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) Smart water meters, leak sensors, and remote monitoring of boreholes or rainwater harvesting can help reduce water loss and improve supply reliability. For SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), IoT sensors can monitor and manage energy generation, storage and consumption in real time to optimise the performance of solar grids and detect faults early. Orange Energies, for instance, offers the IoT-based solar kits and smart digital meters to energy producers in Africa.
New technologies driving innovation
This new generation of IoT solutions is enabled by several key technological advances. 4G and 5G networks provide the high-speed, low-latency, reliable connectivity that IoT devices require. New standards like RedCap, a scaled-down version of 5G technology defined in 3GPP Release 17, enables a wider range of devices to connect efficiently, with smaller form factors, longer battery life, and lower costs.
Improvements in edge AI further enhance IoT's potential, allowing devices to process data locally, make real-time decisions and reduce dependency on cloud infrastructure. These capabilities are vital for applications such as predictive maintenance, precision agriculture, and real-time energy management.
Affordable, dependable hardware is also essential. MediaTek's Genio IoT platform, for example, powers a diverse range of next-generation IoT devices. These SoCs offer a compelling set of features, including high-performance GPU and CPUs, dedicated AI processing units to handle complex AI workloads, and reliable 5G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. MediaTek Genio IoT devices balance performance and energy efficiency, delivering functionalities like facial recognition, voice commands, and real-time analytics while reducing power consumption.
Smartphones will be a key part of the IoT ecosystem, serving as controllers and data hubs that connect users to a wide range of smart devices in real time. They enable monitoring, automation, and interaction across networks, from home appliances to industrial systems. Platforms like the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 flagship system-on-chip (SoC) enable smartphone manufacturers to create AI-enabled devices ready for the IoT and edge computing.
The MediaTek Dimensity 9500 sets new benchmarks for performance, on-device AI, imaging and power efficiency. The MediaTek Dimensity 9500 integrates the ninth-generation MediaTek NPU 990 with Generative AI Engine 2.0, doubling compute power and enabling energy-efficient AI deployment.
Looking further ahead, MediaTek's recent 6G sustainability white paper highlights energy efficiency and carbon-awareness as core principles for the next generation of networks and devices.
By embedding sustainability into hardware and network design, 6G promises to amplify the benefits of IoT. This will help Africa to meet its growing connectivity and development needs in a sustainable way.
From smart irrigation and livestock monitoring to energy management and urban farming, IoT can support African governments, NGOs and businesses in their drive to become more resilient, efficient and sustainable. IoT and edge AI will be powerful tools in addressing climate change, urbanisation and economic inequality, providing real-time insights and intelligent automation to support the sustainable development agenda.