Africa’s carrier-neutral digital infrastructure platform WIOCC Group has signed a Shareholder Subscription Agreement with Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Vision International Investment Company (Vision Invest) for a combined $300 million investment.
The deal was signed at the LEAP 2026 Global Technology exhibition in Riyadh, marking what WIOCC called a significant milestone in its growth as it works to build and operate open-access digital infrastructure across the continent.
The investment lands as demand for data, cloud services and artificial intelligence grows across Africa. The International Telecommunication Union says only 35.7 percent of Africa’s population was online in 2025, against a global average of 73.6 percent. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development projects the global AI market will hit $4.8 trillion by 2033, while warning that access to AI capabilities remains concentrated among a small number of countries and companies.
WIOCC operates in more than 30 African countries and counts among its shareholders Uganda Telecom, Dalkom Somalia, Djibouti Telecom, Mozambique Telecom (TMCEL), Zanzibar Telecom (Zantel), Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet), Lesotho Communications Authority, ONATEL, TelOne and Telkom Kenya, alongside development institutions including the International Finance Corporation and African Capital Alliance.
“The Africa we build must be connected, competitive and equipped to create value from the digital economy, not only consume it,” said Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of AFC. “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.”
WIOCC Group Chief Executive Officer Chris Wood said the funding would go toward data centre deployment and consolidation, expansion of the continent’s open-access terrestrial fibre footprint, and strategic investment in new subsea assets. “This investment enables WIOCC to execute its long-term growth strategy,” he said, adding that it would strengthen connectivity between Africa and key international markets.
Omar N. Al-Midani, President and CEO of Vision Invest, pointed to Africa’s demographics as a driver of the deal. “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,” he said.
Joshua Smythwood, WIOCC Group’s Chief Strategy and M&A Officer, said the completed investment strengthens the company’s financial position and its ability to meet the evolving needs of customers across the continent while generating long-term value for investors and stakeholders.
Real ESG impact doesn’t happen in panels alone, it happens in the rooms where financiers, operators, and policymakers actually align. Our GreenShift Forum 2026 cuts the noise, bringing together the people rewiring Africa’s sustainability and energy frameworks for one focused day in Nairobi. Secure your seat.
Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world.
Follow us on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates. Send tips to editorial@techtrendsmedia.co.ke
