The agreement was signed on September 1 at the LEAP 2026 Global Technology exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The investment will support WIOCC Group’s plans to increase data center deployment and consolidation, extend its open-access terrestrial fiber network, and make strategic investments in new subsea cable assets.

The company operates in more than 30 African countries and provides carrier-neutral infrastructure that supports intra-African and international connectivity.

Chris Wood, Group Chief Executive Officer of WIOCC Group, said the capital will help the company advance these priorities as demand grows for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital services.

“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,” Wood said.

The transaction brings AFC, an African infrastructure finance institution, together with Vision Invest and WIOCC’s existing shareholders, which include African telecommunications operators and investment institutions such as the International Finance Corporation and African Capital Alliance.

WIOCC’s shareholder base includes Telkom Kenya, Botswana Fibre Networks, Djibouti Telecom, Uganda Telecom, Zimbabwe’s TelOne, Zanzibar Telecom, Mozambique’s TMCEL, and other regional operators.

The capital arrives as Africa continues to face a substantial gap in digital access and network capacity. International Telecommunication Union data shows that 35.7% of Africa’s population used the internet in 2025, compared with a global average of 73.6%.

Closing that gap requires investment not only in consumer access but also in the fiber, data centers, and subsea networks that allow businesses, governments, and service providers to deliver reliable digital products across borders.

Samaila Zubairu, President and Chief Executive Officer of AFC, said the investment reflects the growing importance of digital infrastructure to Africa’s competitiveness.

“Fibre, data centres and subsea cables are now essential infrastructure for growth, innovation and AI,” he said, adding that the investment will expand the open-access backbone needed by African businesses and communities.

For WIOCC, the agreement provides additional financial capacity to pursue infrastructure assets across a fragmented but fast-growing digital market.