WIOCC Group, a digital infrastructure firm operating in more than 30 African countries, is set to receive a $155 million investment from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which intends to join Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Vision International Investment Company (Vision Invest) as an investor in the company.
The announcement was made following a roundtable hosted by AFC on the sidelines of Unstoppable Africa's Global Africa Business Initiative, held alongside the UN General Assembly in New York, the company said.
The deal matters for WIOCC because it is the company's third major capital injection in under a year: ITWeb Africa reported that WIOCC secured $65 million from EAAIF, Ninety One, IFC and Proparco in December 2025, followed by the $300 million AFC/Vision Invest agreement signed three weeks ago at LEAP 2026 in Riyadh.
DFC's $155 million — described as its largest-ever single equity investment — now adds to that same $300 million round, bringing the pool of committed capital to $455 million and signalling accelerating investor confidence in WIOCC's open-access model at a time when demand for African data, cloud and AI infrastructure is surging.
The investment comes at a pivotal moment for Africa's digital development, as demand for data, cloud services and artificial intelligence continues to grow.
According to the International Telecommunication Union, only 35.7% of Africa's population was using the internet in 2025, compared with a global average of 73.6%, highlighting the scale of the continent's digital infrastructure needs and growth potential, WIOCC said.
WIOCC has built one of the continent's most extensive open-access digital infrastructure platforms, having deployed more than 200,000 kilometres of subsea cable and around 75,000 kilometres of terrestrial fibre, alongside 30 data centres across Africa, as ITWeb Africa has previously reported.
"With DFC, WIOCC Group brings together an expanded group of investors combining African, Saudi Arabian and U.S. development finance perspectives, reflecting the growing international consensus around the strategic importance of open-access digital infrastructure to Africa's economic transformation," the company said in a statement.
"DFC's investment is subject to further steps before commitment and closing, including congressional notification."
Chris Wood, Group CEO of WIOCC, said: "Africa is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the next phase of global digital growth. As demand for cloud, AI and digital services accelerates, robust and scalable infrastructure will be essential to unlocking the continent's potential.
"This additional investment increases WIOCC Group's ability to execute its long-term growth strategy by accelerating data centre deployment and consolidation, expanding the continent's open-access terrestrial fibre footprint and investing strategically in new subsea assets, strengthening Africa's digital infrastructure platform and enhancing connectivity between the continent and key international markets."
Joshua Smythwood, Group chief strategy and M&A officer, added: "The successful completion of this additional investment marks another important step in WIOCC Group's evolution, further enhancing the Group's financial strength and enabling the management team to strengthen our market position, accelerate growth, enhance our ability to meet the evolving needs of customers across Africa, and generate long-term value for investors and stakeholders."
He said the combined investment brings together AFC's commitment to advancing Africa's economic development, Vision Invest's experience in developing strategic and impactful infrastructure investments, and DFC's mandate to mobilise private capital to address development challenges.
"Together with WIOCC Group's established digital footprint and extensive market relationships, the partnership will support the continued expansion of Africa's digital ecosystem and the continent's growing participation in the global digital economy," he said.
Conor Coleman, DFC's chief of staff and head of investments, said: "DFC's investment in WIOCC Group will help build the next generation of trusted, resilient digital infrastructure needed to power Africa's economic growth.
"This platform will not only provide the connectivity that businesses and communities need to participate in the digital economy, but it will also support American and allied partner companies seeking to grow in one of the world's most dynamic markets, including U.S. hyperscalers and the broader American technology ecosystem."
Samaila Zubairu, president and CEO of AFC, said: "The Africa we build must be connected, competitive and equipped to create value from the digital economy, not only consume it.
"Just as transport corridors enable trade and energy networks, the power industry, fibre, data centres and subsea cables are now essential infrastructure for growth, innovation and AI.
"Our investment in WIOCC will expand the open-access digital backbone African businesses and communities need to integrate, innovate and compete globally."
Omar N. Al-Midani, president and CEO of Vision Invest, commented: "WIOCC Group has built one of Africa's leading digital infrastructure platforms, and we are proud to partner together with DFC, AFC and WIOCC's existing shareholders as the company enters its next phase of growth.
"Home to the world's youngest population and expected to account for more than one-quarter of the global population by 2050, demand for digital services in Africa will continue to rise, necessitating impactful investments in connectivity and digital ecosystems to unlock new opportunities for innovation, economic diversification and sustainable growth, as well as opportunities for businesses, innovators and communities across Africa."
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