WIOCC Group Welcomes United States’ DFC As Investor Alongside AFC And Vision Invest To Accelerate Digital Infrastructure Expansion Across Africa

AFOLABI SAHEED OLAWALE

WIOCC Group, Africa’s leading carrier-neutral digital infrastructure platform, has announced that the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) intends to join Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Vision International Investment Company (Vision Invest) as an investor in the company.

The announcement was made following a roundtable hosted by AFC on the sidelines of Unstoppable Africa’s Global Africa Business Initiative, held alongside the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The combined investment will support WIOCC Group’s long-term growth strategy, including the expansion of its terrestrial and subsea networks, data centre capacity and broader digital infrastructure platform, helping strengthen connectivity, digital access and local hosting capacity across the continent.

The investment comes at a pivotal moment for Africa’s digital development as demand for data, cloud services and artificial intelligence continues to grow. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), only 35.7% of Africa’s population was using the internet in 2025, compared with a global average of 73.6%, highlighting the scale of the continent’s digital infrastructure needs and growth potential.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) projects the global AI market will reach US$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.

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.

With DFC, WIOCC Group brings together an expanded group of investors combining African, Saudi Arabian and U.S. development finance perspectives, reflecting the growing international consensus around the strategic importance of open-access digital infrastructure to Africa’s economic transformation. DFC’s investment is subject to further steps before commitment and closing, including congressional notification.

Conor Coleman, DFC’s Chief of Staff and Head of Investments, commented, “DFC’s investment in WIOCC Group will help build the next generation of trusted, resilient digital infrastructure needed to power Africa’s economic growth. This platform will not only provide the connectivity that businesses and communities need to participate in the digital economy, but it will also support American and allied partner companies seeking to grow in one of the world’s most dynamic markets, including U.S. hyperscalers and the broader American technology ecosystem.”

Commenting on this investment, Samaila Zubairu, President & Chief Executive Officer of AFC, said, ‘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. Our investment in WIOCC will expand the open-access digital backbone African businesses and communities need to integrate, innovate and compete globally.’

President & Chief Executive Officer of Vision Invest, Omar N. Al-Midani, added, ‘WIOCC Group has built one of Africa’s leading digital infrastructure platforms, and we are proud to partner together with DFC, AFC and WIOCC’s existing shareholders as the company enters its next phase of growth.

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, 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.’

Chris Wood, Group Chief Executive Officer of WIOCC Group, further explained, ‘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.

This additional investment increases WIOCC Group’s ability 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.’

Joshua Smythwood, Group Chief Strategy and M&A Officer of WIOCC Group, concluded, ‘The successful completion of this additional investment marks another important step in WIOCC Group’s evolution, further 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.’

The combined 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 DFC’s mandate to mobilise private capital to address development challenges. Together with WIOCC Group’s established digital footprint and extensive market relationships, the partnership will support the continued expansion of Africa’s digital ecosystem and the continent’s growing participation in the global digital economy.