MTN Zambia and Huawei have jointly introduced the worlds first AI-powered adaptive power backup solution for emergency-resilient networks. Launched at AfricaCom 2025, the innovation combines intelligent energy management and network autonomy to maintain communication services during unstable power supply a major challenge in regions facing prolonged load shedding.
Since March 2024, Zambia has experienced an ongoing energy crisis caused by insufficient hydropower generation, resulting in load shedding of up to 20 hours per day in some areas. The impact has been widespread affecting households, businesses and communication services. MTN Zambias network availability, typically above 99, has dropped to around 91 due to extended outages.
To address this, Huawei and MTN co-developed an AI-driven energy resilience solution that keeps base stations online during prolonged power cuts. The adaptive system coordinates between the power and wireless network, analysing real-time traffic and prioritising essential communications. It dynamically reduces non-critical functions to conserve power and automatically restores full service once grid supply returns.