WSO2, a global enterprise digital infrastructure firm generating more than $100 million (Sh12.9 billion) in annual recurring revenue, has opened its first Africa-based office in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The move signals the continent’s growing weight in the company’s global business as governments, banks, telecoms operators and retailers push to modernise legacy systems and prepare for AI adoption.
WSO2 plans to extend into additional markets across East, West and North Africa in the coming years, taking what it calls a measured, partnership-led approach.
The announcement precedes WSO2Con Africa, the company’s flagship technology conference, set for Nairobi from September 22 to 24 – the first time the event has come to the continent. It will bring together business and technology leaders to discuss modernisation, integration, digital sovereignty and agentic AI.
“Africa isn’t a peripheral market for WSO2. It’s one of the fastest-growing parts of our business, and this office launch reflects our long-term commitment to the region,” said Dinal Gooneratne, WSO2’s Vice President and General Manager for Africa.
He said organisations across the continent are moving from experimentation to execution, and that a permanent Johannesburg base would let the firm work more closely with customers and partners on modernisation and AI adoption.
Africa has posted roughly 30 percent year-on-year revenue growth for WSO2 over the past two years. Its customer base on the continent has grown from around 40 to more than 65 organisations across 25 countries, with recent expansion into Benin, Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire.
Public sector adoption
Government uptake has driven much of the growth. WSO2’s technology powers digital services at Uganda’s National Information Technology Authority, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the Government of Malawi, the Kenya Revenue Authority, the Uganda Revenue Authority and Lesotho Revenue Services.
The company points to three drivers behind its African growth: rising demand for digital-first services, higher investment in legacy modernisation, and interest in AI initiatives that require secure, governed infrastructure. Its open-source platform lets clients deploy across cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments while keeping control of their data, an approach WSO2 says fits the emphasis on digital sovereignty in Kenya’s recently unveiled draft AI policy.
Steven Grundlingh, Business Development Executive at DeARX, said the Johannesburg office sends a strong signal to the market and would accelerate collaboration for shared customers.
Shailendra Yadav, CEO at Sybyl Kenya, said growing emphasis on data sovereignty and open standards among African governments and financial institutions positions WSO2 to expand its public-sector engagements in the region.
WSO2Con Africa runs in Nairobi from September 22 to 24, with hands-on workshops and customer case studies on building, governing and scaling AI agents.
WSO2 was founded in 2005 and has offices in Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Spain, Sri Lanka, the UAE, the UK and the US.
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