KT announced on May 14th that it celebrated the completion of Rwanda’s 4G LTE network at the Transform Africa Summit 2018, Africa’s largest ICT conference, which was held May 7-10 in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.

Addressing the summit on the landmark project, Yun Kyoung-Lim, President of KT Global Business Office, said that its completion represents a momentous stride in realizing `Smart Rwanda’ and the country’s Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“This successful project will also help KT expand its cooperation in ICT throughout Africa and in the world,” Yun said.

High-ranking officials from some 10 African countries, including Jean de Dieu Rurangirwa, Rwanda's minister of information technology and communication, and Maria do Rosario Braganca Sambo, the Angolan minister of higher education, science, technology and innovation, joined the celebration.

With the completion of Africa’s first nationwide LTE network, 95 percent of the Rwandan people now have access to high-speed wireless broadband service. Rwanda has a population of about 12 million and 8.6 million people subscribe to mobile services, of which 1.15 million use smartphones.

The Rwandan government expects the faster mobile communication network will help improve the quality of life of the Rwandan people. The nationwide 4G coverage has been completed in three and a half years since KT Rwanda Networks (KTRN), a joint venture between KT and the Rwandan government, launched commercial services from Kigali in November 2014.

Minister Rurangirwa called the network a splendid feat jointly achieved by KT and the Rwandan government. “Our government will continue to offer all possible support so that the network will improve the quality of people’s lives in many ways.”

KTRN has drawn attention as an outstanding example of public-private partnership. KT expects it will serve as a springboard for increased cooperation with other African countries, including Nigeria, South Africa, Malawi, Benin and Senegal.

Rwanda has hosted the Transform Africa Summit, organized by the Smart Africa Alliance, since 2013. This year’s summit, held at the Kigali Convention Center, drew the participation of 4,000 people, including the heads of state, cabinet ministers and project leaders from 54 countries.

Under the theme of “Accelerating Africa’s Single Digital Market,” the summit comprised ministerial-level round table talks and forums on public-private partnership.