Tracking across West Africa: How Tech’n’Change leverages multi‑operator connectivity

As mobility and transportation rapidly expand across West Africa, fleet operators are facing growing pressure to improve safety, operational efficiency, and real-time visibility. In this context, reliable, cross-border connectivity is no longer a nice-to-have -it is a critical foundation.

This is where Tech’n’Change, an Ivory Coast–based vehicle geolocation specialist, has built a strong competitive edge by combining advanced tracking technologies with Transatel’s multi-operator IoT connectivity.

From pilot project to a strategic connectivity backbone 

Tech’n’Change supports a wide range of customers across Côte d’Ivoire and neighboring countries, providing vehicle tracking and fleet management services for buses, taxis, trucks, pick-ups, private vehicles, and heavy equipment. 

Initially, the company started with a small-scale pilot using Transatel IoT SIM cards. 

“We began with a limited number of SIMs to test the solution. The results were conclusive, so we decided to move forward with Transatel.” explains Noël Kouamé, who oversees Tech’n’Change’s operational teams. 

Today, more than 3,000 Transatel SIM cards are deployed in vehicles moving across Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana, and Togo, with plans for continued expansion. 

For Tech’n’Change, Transatel has become a central pillar of its infrastructure, enabling regional coverage without the operational complexity of managing multiple local operators.

Real-time tracking for safety‑critical use cases 

The company’s core activity revolves around near real-time vehicle tracking, with position updates transmitted every 10 to 30 seconds, depending on customer requirements. 

This level of granularity is particularly critical for public and intercity transport operators, some of whom manage fleets of 400+ buses spread across multiple depots and destinations. 

Tracking goes far beyond simple location visibility. Thanks to wired GPS trackers – primarily Teltonika devices such as the FMB920 and FMB140 –  

Tech’n’Change collects a rich set of operational data: 

• Vehicle speed and movement history 

• Driver identification and working hours 

• Harsh braking and aggressive driving behavior 

• Precise timestamps and locations 

This data plays a key role in accident analysis and prevention. 

“In the event of an accident, our platform allows operators to reconstruct the exact circumstances – speed, braking behavior, location, and timing – seconds before impact,” says Noël Kouamé. “This helps improve driver accountability and contributes directly to road safety.” 

Going Beyond GPS: Deep Vehicle Data via CAN Bus 

For more advanced deployments, Tech’n’Change connects Teltonika trackers directly to a vehicle’s CAN (Controller Area Network) bus, unlocking access to onboard data such as: 

• Fuel consumption
• Engine status
• Accurate odometer reading
• Engine hours for heavy machinery 

This capability enables transport operators to optimize fuel usage, reduce maintenance costs, and gain better control over fleet operations, particularly for intensive, high-mileage vehicles. 

Multi-operator connectivity across diverse coverage conditions 

Across much of West Africa, 2G and 3G networks remain essential, especially outside major cities where 4G coverage is still limited. Transatel’s multi-operator IoT SIMs allow Tech’n’Change vehicles to automatically connect to the best available local network. 

This seamless roaming experience is crucial when vehicles cross borders or operate in rural areas. 

“Thanks to Transatel’s multi-operator connectivity, we are very comfortable operating across the sub-region,” Noël explains. “It allows us to deploy a single SIM solution that works everywhere our customers need.” 

Data usage varies depending on vehicle type and utilization – from less than 40 MB per month for private vehicles up to hundreds of MB per month for buses – making flexible, scalable connectivity a key requirement.

Scaling a Fast-Growing Market 

Vehicle tracking is one of the fastest-growing IoT markets in West Africa, driven by rapid vehicle imports, urbanization, and increasing safety requirements. 

Tech’n’Change is actively replacing legacy local SIMs with Transatel SIMs and continues to win new contracts through tenders and regional expansion. The company has also developed its own platform, DjiTrans B2B, maintained locally to meet the specific needs of African fleet operators. 

Looking ahead, Tech’n’Change plans to establish physical operations in neighboring countries, further scaling its services across the region – with Transatel as a key connectivity partner.  

“Multi‑operator connectivity is what makes reliable, cross‑border tracking possible in West Africa – and Tech’n’Change is leveraging it at scale.” said Cedric Jarkovsky, Head of Product Development and IoT Marketing at Transatel.