Mirova commits USD 15 million to iSAT to accelerate solar-powered rural connectivity in Africa
ARE Member Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers dedicated to sustainable investing, announces a USD 15 million senior secured facility for iSAT Africa Mauritius Limited, a leading rural connectivity platform, to support the deployment of fully solar-powered mobile towers in Liberia and Zambia.
The 10-year facility will finance the rollout of scalable Network as a Service (NaaS) and Energy as a Service (EaaS) solutions as part of iSAT’s broader 1,000-tower expansion strategy across sub-Saharan Africa. The towers financed by the Mirova Gigaton Fund will be entirely off grid, powered by solar energy and battery storage.
Founded over 15 years ago, iSAT has established itself as a leading rural connectivity provider, leveraging deep expertise in satellite services and strong partnerships with Tier-1 mobile network operators. Building on this foundation, the company has expanded its capabilities to deliver turnkey, renewable-powered telecom tower infrastructure enabling high-speed mobile data services, supported by a multi-orbit satellite backhaul architecture combining Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations. This approach ensures resilient, scalable, and cost-efficient connectivity solutions tailored for remote and underserved communities.
By replacing diesel-powered rural telecom towers with fully solar, energy-efficient solutions, iSAT’s model has strong potential to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions associated with mobile network operations. Through the deployment of 2/4-5G-enabled infrastructure, the project supports both greenfield expansion into previously unconnected communities and brownfield network enhancements, improving user experience through higher-speed data services while addressing coverage blind spots in existing mobile networks. Together, these initiatives contribute to advancing digital inclusion and sustainable connectivity across rural regions.
This transaction is fully aligned with the investment objectives of the Mirova Gigaton Fund, which seeks to finance solutions enabling deep and measurable decarbonisation while supporting inclusive and resilient development models. By backing fully solar-powered telecom infrastructure in off grid rural areas, the Fund contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with mobile connectivity while expanding access to reliable digital services in underserved communities.
“This investment reflects Mirova’s ambition to accelerate the clean energy transition in hard-to-abate sectors, while delivering tangible social benefits. By supporting iSAT’s solar-powered tower deployments, we are helping reduce emissions from telecom infrastructure and enable digital inclusion in remote rural areas.” affirms John Kimotho, Investment Director, Mirova Kenya (acting as advisor to Mirova, the AIFM of the Mirova Gigaton Fund)
“We are delighted to partner with Mirova, whose commitment to sustainable infrastructure aligns with iSAT Africa’s mission to bridge the digital divide across the continent. This partnership validates our integrated model combining telecom infrastructure, renewable energy, and innovative services for scalable connectivity in underserved markets. By deploying solar-powered telecom infrastructure, we are building a resilient platform that expands coverage, reduces carbon emissions, and accelerates inclusive digital and economic growth across rural communities.” said Rakesh Kukreja, Chief Executive Officer, iSAT Africa