Carrier-neutral digital infrastructure platform WIOCC Group has secured a combined $300-million in investments through a Shareholder Subscription Agreement signed with Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Vision International Investment Company (Vision Invest).

The agreement, signed at the LEAP 2026 Global Technology exhibition in Riyadh, marks a significant milestone for WIOCC, enabling the group to accelerate its digital infrastructure expansion across Africa.

“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,” said WIOCC Group CEO Chris Wood.

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 said.

Citing International Telecommunication Union data, only 35.7% of Africa's population was using the Internet in 2025, compared with a global average of 73.6%.

Further, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development projects the global AI market will reach $4.8-trillion by 2033, while warning that access to AI capabilities and digital infrastructure remains concentrated in a limited number of countries and companies.

These trends underscore the importance of investing in resilient, high-capacity infrastructure that can expand digital access, support cross-border data flows and help narrow the digital divide.

The investment brings together AFC’s long-standing commitment to advancing Africa’s economic development, Vision Invest’s experience in developing strategic and impactful infrastructure investments, and WIOCC Group’s established digital footprint and extensive client relationships.

Together, AFC, Vision Invest and WIOCC aim to contribute to accelerating the development of Africa’s digital ecosystem and supporting the continent’s growing role in the rapidly evolving global digital economy.

“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,” added AFC president and CEO Samaila Zubairu.

“Our investment in WIOCC will expand the open-access digital backbone African businesses and communities need to integrate, innovate and compete globally.”

Vision Invest president and CEO Omar N Al-Midani explained that the WIOCC Group has built one of Africa's leading digital infrastructure platforms.

“We are proud to partner together with AFC and WIOCC’s existing shareholders as the company enters its next phase of growth.”

With Africa boasting the world's youngest population and expectations that the continent will 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, Al-Midani added.

“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,” said WIOCC Group chief strategy and merger and acquisitions officer Joshua Smythwood.

Operating in more than 30 African countries, WIOCC Group is a key enabler for further expansion, having established one of the continent's most extensive, open-access digital infrastructure platforms that supports its clients in accessing new markets and delivering reliable digital services at scale.

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.

Its shareholders include Uganda Telecom, Dalkom Somalia, Djibouti Telecom, Mozambique Telecom, Zanzibar Telecom, Botswana Fibre Networks, Lesotho Communications Authority, ONATEL, TelOne and Telkom Kenya.

The backing of these leading investors and operators has been instrumental in WIOCC’s growth into one of Africa’s most extensive and trusted digital infrastructure platforms, delivering connectivity services across the continent and contributing to the continued growth of Africa’s digital economy.