
Kenya’s Digital Bank Umba Secures $5 Million to Drive Pan-African Growth
Kenyan-based digital bank Umba has secured a $5 million debt facility from Star Strong Capital to accelerate its growth and reach more customers across Africa.
Wingu Africa, a prominent data center operator in East Africa, has secured $60 million in funding from Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) to accelerate its expansion across the region.
This investment aims to enhance digital infrastructure in Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, supporting the continent’s growing demand for reliable and scalable digital services.
In Djibouti, Wingu Africa has launched its second data center, which includes the country’s first integrated cable landing station.
This facility provides access to 12 operational submarine cables, with plans for additional systems to improve redundancy and connectivity.
A significant development is the transformation of the Djibouti Internet Exchange (DjIX) into AMS-IX Djibouti, through a partnership with the Amsterdam Internet Exchange.
This upgrade has led to a fourfold increase in peak internet traffic over the past year, highlighting the region’s growing digital activity.
In Ethiopia, Wingu Africa has inaugurated the country’s first Tier III-certified data center, located in Addis Ababa’s ICT Park.
This facility, which hosts up to 800 racks with a 10MW power capacity, also houses Ethiopia’s first Internet Exchange Point, ADDIX.
The data center aims to provide secure and reliable services to support the nation’s digital transformation efforts.
In Tanzania, Wingu Africa has completed the second phase of its data center expansion in Dar es Salaam, following a $50 million investment.
The upgraded facility, located in the Mbezi Industrial Area, has become the most connected data center in the country, with interconnections to 13 operators.
The expansion includes enhanced power and cooling systems, as well as advanced security measures, to meet the increasing demands of modern digital operations.
Beyond physical infrastructure, Wingu Africa offers services such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Cloud as a Service (CaaS), and satellite teleport capabilities.
These services provide clients with flexible, low-latency environments that can scale with their growth.
The company’s platform is already being utilized by digital infrastructure leaders, including Bayobab Africa and Cloudflare, to deliver essential digital services across the continent.
Anthony Voscarides, Group CEO of Wingu Africa, emphasized the significance of the investment, stating:
“This is not just an investment in infrastructure; it’s an investment in Africa’s digital independence. We’re expanding the capacity that will empower innovation, accelerate economic growth, and connect Africa to the future.”
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Kenyan-based digital bank Umba has secured a $5 million debt facility from Star Strong Capital to accelerate its growth and reach more customers across Africa.
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