The United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is set to invest in WIOCC Group, a major African digital infrastructure company, as part of efforts to expand connectivity, data-centre capacity and other digital infrastructure across the continent.
WIOCC Group announced on September 21, 2026, that DFC intends to join the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Saudi Arabia’s Vision International Investment Company (Vision Invest) as an investor in the company. The announcement was made in New York during a roundtable hosted by AFC on the sidelines of the Global Africa Business Initiative.
The investment will support WIOCC’s long-term expansion strategy, including the development of its terrestrial fibre networks, subsea cable infrastructure and data-centre capacity.
The company operates in more than 30 African countries, providing open-access digital infrastructure that allows telecommunications companies, businesses and other organisations to connect to digital services and international markets.
The proposed investment comes as demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data services continues to increase across Africa.
According to information released by AFC, only 35.7 per cent of Africa’s population used the internet in 2025, compared with a global average of 73.6 per cent. The figures highlight the continent’s continuing digital infrastructure and connectivity gap.
WIOCC said the additional investment would strengthen its ability to expand data-centre deployment and consolidation, extend its open-access terrestrial fibre network and invest in new subsea assets.
The company said these investments are expected to improve connectivity between African countries and international markets while increasing local capacity for hosting digital services.
DFC’s investment is reported at up to $155 million. The agency previously approved the investment as part of more than $8 billion in new investments across several sectors. The WIOCC transaction has been described as DFC’s largest digital investment to date.
However, the investment is not yet fully completed. WIOCC said DFC’s commitment remains subject to further steps, including congressional notification and the completion of the necessary processes before closing.
The proposed investment follows a separate $300 million investment agreement announced earlier in September between WIOCC, AFC and Vision Invest.
That earlier funding is intended to support data-centre deployment and consolidation, expansion of terrestrial fibre networks and investment in new subsea cable assets.
The latest development therefore brings together African, Saudi Arabian and US investment interests around WIOCC’s digital infrastructure expansion.
Samaila Zubairu, President and Chief Executive Officer of AFC, said fibre networks, data centres and subsea cables have become essential infrastructure for economic growth, innovation and artificial intelligence.
WIOCC Group Chief Executive Officer Chris Wood said the company wants to use the additional investment to accelerate its long-term growth strategy as demand for cloud, AI and digital services increases across Africa.
The company operates through a broad digital infrastructure platform that connects businesses and telecommunications providers across African markets.
Its infrastructure includes terrestrial fibre networks, subsea connectivity and data centres. The company is also the parent company of Open Access Data Centres (OADC), which operates data-centre facilities in several African markets, including Nigeria.
The expansion of digital infrastructure has become increasingly important as African businesses adopt cloud services, digital payments, artificial intelligence and other online technologies.
More data centres and stronger fibre and subsea networks can provide the capacity needed to process and move increasing volumes of digital information.
The investment also comes amid growing international interest in Africa’s digital economy. Global technology companies are seeking to expand cloud and AI services across the continent, creating additional demand for reliable data centres and high-capacity connectivity.
For African economies, investment in such infrastructure can support businesses that depend on reliable internet access and enable more digital services to be hosted closer to users.
WIOCC said its goal is to build an open-access infrastructure platform that can support connectivity within Africa while also strengthening links between the continent and international markets.
The company is expected to use the new capital to accelerate infrastructure deployment over the coming years.
The development represents another major investment in Africa’s digital economy and comes as governments, businesses and international investors increasingly focus on improving the continent’s capacity to participate in the global digital and artificial-intelligence economy.
