WIOCC Group, a digital infrastructure firm, has secured $300 million to accelerate expansion across Africa.
This follows the signing of a Shareholder Subscription Agreement with Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Vision International Investment Company (Vision Invest), through which the two investors will invest a combined $300 million in the company.
The deal was signed at the LEAP 2026 Global Technology exhibition in Riyadh, with WIOCC saying the agreement represents a significant milestone in accelerating digital infrastructure on the continent.
The development comes as Africa is shifting from being a consumer of digital infrastructure to a builder, owner and operator of the networks that power its digital economy.
Across the continent, entrepreneurs are investing in and developing fibre networks, Internet Exchange Points, data centres, cloud platforms and digital ecosystems tailored to local market needs.
Their efforts are helping to strengthen connectivity, keep more value within African economies and reduce reliance on infrastructure built and controlled outside the continent.
In the case of WIOCC, the company said 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.
Operating in more than 30 African countries, WIOCC Group is a key enabler of further expansion, having established one of the continent’s most extensive open-access digital infrastructure platforms, which supports its clients in accessing new markets and delivering reliable digital services at scale.
According to the company, since its establishment, WIOCC Group has been supported by a group of African telecommunications operators and strategic investors, alongside leading international development and investment institutions, including the International Finance Corporation and African Capital Alliance.
WIOCC Group shareholders include Uganda Telecom, Dalkom Somalia, Djibouti Telecom, Mozambique Telecom, Zanzibar Telecom, Botswana Fibre Networks , Lesotho Communications Authority, ONATEL, TelOne and Telkom Kenya.
The digital infrastructure company said the backing of these investors and operators has been instrumental in WIOCC’s growth into one of Africa’s extensive and dependable digital infrastructure platforms, delivering connectivity services across the continent and contributing to the continued growth of Africa’s digital economy.
The investment follows WIOCC’s $65 million debt facility announced in December 2025.
ITWeb Africa reported that the funding, provided through sustainability-linked financing from the International Finance Corporation, Proparco, the Emerging Africa Infrastructure and Asia Infrastructure Fund and Ninety One, was intended to support the group’s expansion of connectivity capacity and digital infrastructure across Africa.
In February 2026, ITWeb reported that WIOCC’s Open Access Data Centres had signed an agreement with NTT DATA South Africa covering the acquisition of seven data centres in South Africa. The facilities are in Bloemfontein, Cape Town, East London, Bryanston and Parklands in Johannesburg, Gqeberha and Umhlanga.
Chris Wood, Group chief executive officer of WIOCC Group, 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.”
He added: “This investment enables WIOCC 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.”
While, Joshua Smythwood, Group chief strategy and M&A officer of WIOCC, said: "The successful completion of this investment marks an important step in WIOCC Group’s evolution, 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.’
Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of AFC, commented: “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 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.”
Similarly, Omar N. Al-Midani, president and chief executive officer of Vision Invest, added: “WIOCC Group has built one of Africa’s leading digital infrastructure platforms, and we are proud to partner with 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.”
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