Major cities such as Dakar, Abidjan, Accra, Lagos, and Cotonou are concentrating massive investments, driven by national operators, public funds, and international partners. Yet, on the ground, one observation keeps recurring with striking regularity: well-funded, well-intentioned projects that go off track. Timelines stretch, budgets spiral, and penetration rates fall short of targets.
After years of supporting operators and governments in the region, our teams have identified four structural mistakes that, individually or combined, can cost a project tens of millions of euros. Here is a straightforward look at these pitfalls and the levers to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Underestimating the complexity of local civil engineering
This is undoubtedly the most costly and most common mistake. In initial financial models, civil engineering is often calibrated based on European benchmarks or theoretical estimates disconnected from the realities of West African terrain.
However, reality is quite different. In large urban areas such as Abidjan or Dakar, the coexistence of planned neighborhoods and dense informal settlements makes the mapping of underground infrastructure extremely uncertain. Existing network plans (water, electricity, sanitation) are often incomplete or even nonexistent. As a result, installation teams encounter unexpected obstacles with every trench opened, multiplying work stoppages, rework, and additional costs.
Added to this are region-specific constraints: the rainy season, which can halt entire construction sites for several weeks; variable soil quality (laterite, swampy areas along lagoons); and the difficulty of obtaining road permits within reasonable timeframes from municipalities with limited administrative resources.
Finally, subsoil type must be considered. Rocky ground requires mechanized equipment; otherwise, progress will be significantly slowed or even halted. These factors must be anticipated well before the start of works through geotechnical studies of the subsoil in order to plan appropriate excavation methods.
What we recommend: Systematically invest in a thorough field reconnaissance phase before any deployment, including geotechnical surveys and participatory mapping of existing networks. This preliminary study makes it possible to reduce civil engineering contingency margins from 25–35% down to 5–10%. From the drafting of technical specifications, pay particular attention to the rigorous selection of stakeholders with mechanical resources suited to soil constraints, construction requirements, and existing infrastructure management issues. Such an approach secures the execution of civil engineering works and limits the risks of technical and financial deviations. Finally, anticipate the rainy season schedule in the project phasing from the design stage.
Mistake #2: Neglecting environmental impact
An environmental study must be carried out well in advance of the project, as it ensures responsible and sustainable deployment, compliant with local regulations while minimizing environmental impact. Neglecting this step can generate negative consequences such as sanctions, fines, or project suspension for non-compliance with environmental laws, as well as unexpected costs, compensation for protected areas, or local opposition and protests. It can also damage the company’s and operator’s image and often lead to costly modifications of the initial route.
What we recommend: Anticipate environmental considerations early in the project, as they are increasingly scrutinized worldwide. Conducting an environmental impact assessment across the entire deployment route allows these major issues to be evaluated and taken into account, ensuring controlled and environmentally responsible execution of the works.
Mistake #3: Neglecting the local partner ecosystem
Fiber deployment is not just a technical project. It is a territorial anchoring project. And this is precisely where many operators, especially those entering with imported operational models, underestimate the relational and partnership dimension of execution.
We have observed, across several projects in West Africa, situations where operators relied on civil engineering subcontractors without verifying their actual capacity to scale up. Local companies, selected based on price criteria, find themselves managing multiple construction sites simultaneously for different clients, with insufficiently trained teams and unsuitable equipment.
For example: the quality of the work has a direct impact on the final network quality and the longevity of the deployed infrastructure. This is a significant investment that must last over time. The main issues encountered with untrained personnel can be numerous, such as: trench depth not being respected, poor concrete quality in manholes, cable deformation during pulling that softens under sun exposure, poor fiber splicing quality… Everything can be compromised, with direct consequences on the delivered network quality and future maintenance costs.
Moreover, relationships with local authorities—municipalities, neighborhood leaders, community representatives—are often treated as an administrative formality. This is a strategic mistake. In several countries in the region, the lack of community support has led to site blockages, acts of vandalism on installed infrastructure, and even open conflicts with residents.
What we recommend: Structure a qualification and upskilling program for local subcontractors ahead of deployment to understand and comply with international standards at every stage of network deployment. Implement independent quality control mechanisms throughout the works. Above all, invest in a community engagement strategy from the design phase: neighborhood meetings, communication on the project’s benefits, and identification of trusted local stakeholders.
Mistake #4: Confusing network deployment with service adoption
This may be the most insidious mistake, as it only becomes visible after the network is delivered. Kilometers of fiber are laid, connections are installed, and yet… subscription rates remain desperately low.
This phenomenon, regularly observed in FTTH projects in West Africa, stems from a fundamental confusion between infrastructure availability and its perceived value by end users. In many households, fiber pricing remains prohibitive compared to median income. The required equipment—boxes, Wi-Fi routers—represents a significant entry cost. And the mobile-first culture, deeply rooted in usage patterns, makes the transition to fixed subscriptions less intuitive for a large portion of the population.
Operators have thus delivered networks worth tens of millions of euros with take-up rates below 10% two years after commercial launch—far from the 30–40% needed to reach economic balance. Among best practices, early integration of last-mile connection challenges is critical. Conducting serviceability studies, particularly for buildings, ensures smooth customer activation once the network is in place, without requiring late redesign of connection solutions.
What we recommend: Integrate a localized demand study from the design phase, segment by segment, to prioritize deployment areas based on real commercial potential. Work in parallel on adapted pricing models—entry-level offers, equipment financing, partnerships with employers or social housing providers. And build a field sales plan, with local sales teams, well before network delivery.
Conclusion: Fiber in West Africa — a winning bet, provided you play local
West Africa represents one of the most promising markets for fiber deployment globally. Demand for connectivity is real, demographic and urban growth are powerful drivers, and governments are increasingly committed to ambitious digital inclusion policies.
However, succeeding in this environment requires a radically contextualized approach: financial models rooted in on-the-ground realities, strong and sustainable local partnerships, and a commercial vision that goes far beyond technical deployment. A deployed network is only a starting point. Without a structured commercial vision and robust IT systems, asset management, and monitoring tools, it cannot be efficiently operated nor deliver sustainable service quality that meets customer expectations.
Operators who integrate these dimensions from the project design phase do more than avoid losses: they build lasting networks, growing usage, and a competitive position that is difficult to challenge.
