Econet Infrastructure Company Limited reduced diesel consumption by 30% in the six months to August, as rising global oil prices pushed up energy costs for its telecommunications infrastructure business.
The company, which listed on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange earlier this year, said higher diesel costs remained a challenge during the period as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East drove volatility in global oil prices.
“For InfraCo, where reliable power remains critical to the operation of its Tower portfolio, the elevated cost of diesel placed continued pressure on operating costs,” the company said in its unaudited interim financial statements for the six months ended August 31, 2026.
Despite the pressure, InfraCo said it did not experience major disruptions to fuel supplies, allowing it to maintain operations and service availability.
The company is now increasing its use of solar power and artificial intelligence to reduce its dependence on diesel generators.
“A key thrust is the increased solarisation of sites, supported by the deployment of AI-enabled fuel management solutions to optimise diesel consumption, identify inefficiencies and strengthen monitoring and control,” InfraCo said.
Through its PowerCo business, the company combined site solarisation, AI-enabled fuel management, advanced battery cycling technologies and improved national grid availability to achieve the 30% reduction in fuel consumption.
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InfraCo has also started construction of the first phase of a planned 100-megawatt solar farm at Tech City, with initial power generation expected in the fourth quarter.
The company said AI was also being used to improve maintenance and reliability across its infrastructure.
“The phased rollout of the AI Fuel Manager is expected to deliver lower energy consumption and improved site uptime,” the company said.
Development is also continuing on its AI-enabled Remote Monitoring System and Digital Twin initiatives, which are intended to improve asset monitoring and infrastructure reliability.
For the six months under review, InfraCo generated revenue of US$70.1 million and recorded an EBITDA margin of 41.4%.
The company said the results were not directly comparable with the previous period because it adopted the US dollar as its functional currency from March 1, 2026, while a Scheme of Reconstruction also changed the scope of its operations.
InfraCo did not declare an interim dividend, opting instead to reinvest available capital into tower expansion, renewable energy projects and property development.
“Looking ahead, the Company’s priorities remain clear,” InfraCo said, highlighting the expansion of its tower infrastructure, acceleration of solarisation and development of Tech City and Victoria Falls Lifestyle Villas.
The company said it would also continue expanding the use of AI across its tower network to improve efficiency, reliability and competitiveness.
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