Internet

Ecobank and CIPS strengthen China-Africa RMB payment links.

Ecobank Group has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) to enhance Renminbi (RMB) payment links between China and Africa

The agreement was signed during the official visit to China by Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, president of the Council of the Republic of Togo. The ceremony was attended by Togo’s Minister of Finance and Budget, highlighting the importance of stronger economic and financial cooperation between China, Togo and Africa.

The agreement supports Ecobank’s strategy of connecting Chinese businesses and financial institutions with its pan-African banking network, which operates across 34 African markets.

Through the collaboration, Ecobank and CIPS aim to broaden RMB payment and clearing services between China and Africa. The initiative is expected to facilitate cross-border RMB transactions, simplify settlement processes, improve access to payment channels and reinforce the financial infrastructure supporting bilateral trade.

Strengthening the financial foundations of China-Africa trade

China is Africa’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade valued at approximately US$348bn in 2025. Growing commercial exchanges are increasing the need for efficient payment systems, settlement mechanisms and banking services to support businesses operating between the two markets.

Commenting on the announcement, Jeremy Awori, CEO of Ecobank Group, said, "China-Africa trade has evolved into one of the world's most dynamic economic corridors. As trade relationships deepen and investment flows increase, financial infrastructure must evolve to support them."

"Our partnership with CIPS strengthens the connectivity between China’s RMB payment ecosystem and Ecobank’s extensive African network. It enhances our ability to support importers, exporters and businesses operating across Africa and China more efficiently and with greater confidence. Ultimately, our objective is to make Africa more accessible for businesses operating from China while helping African companies engage more effectively with Chinese markets."

Developing Ecobank’s China-Africa banking network

Ecobank has operated in China since 2012 and continues to expand its presence to facilitate commercial links between the two regions. The Group recently inaugurated its new office premises in Beijing, providing Chinese companies, financial institutions and investors with a dedicated gateway to its banking network across Africa.

The bank also operates dedicated Chinese Desks in West, Central and East Africa. These teams combine regional market knowledge with services covering trade finance, payments, cash management and cross-border investment.

Strengthening the China-Africa trade corridor forms part of Ecobank’s Growth, Transformation and Returns (GTR) strategy. The agreement with CIPS adds to the Group’s existing partnerships aimed at facilitating trade, investment and payment flows between the two markets. Other collaborations include cooperation with Bank of China (Mauritius) and cross-border payment platforms XTransfer, YeePay and WorldFirst.

By combining its Beijing presence, regional banking capabilities and strategic partnerships, Ecobank aims to improve the financial infrastructure available to businesses and investors engaging in China-Africa trade and investment.

ZTE and Comsol strengthen collaboration to expand 5G broadband access

ZTE Corporation and Comsol, a provider of fixed wireless access (FWA) infrastructure, are strengthening their strategic partnership to expand access to high-performance home broadband in South Africa through next-generation digital infrastructure

Mauritz Lewies, Comsol's Chief Technology Officer, and Francois Olivier, Comsol's Chief of Network Strategy, attended the 15th ZTE Global Summit & User Congress in Kuala Lumpur. Held under the theme “Architecting Infinity – From Connectivity to Digital Value”, the event brought together global industry leaders. This year's Summit was co-located with GSMA M360 ASEAN for the first time, broadening discussions on connectivity, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies.

During the Summit, Olivier joined a high-level roundtable to discuss digital inclusion and the contribution of communications infrastructure to local business development. Drawing on Comsol's experience in South Africa, he outlined how improved connectivity can help businesses grow, expand access to digital services and translate infrastructure investment into economic and social benefits.

Speaking at the event, Francois Olivier, chief of network strategy at Comsol, stated, “With nearly 30 years of experience delivering secure and reliable connectivity solutions to enterprise customers in South Africa, we are now extending that expertise into the consumer market through our wholesale 5G-Advanced network, enabling service providers to bring high-performance broadband to more South African households.”

Comsol's representatives also met with ZTE's management and technical teams to discuss the development of digital infrastructure. Topics included advances in 5G networks and equipment, network artificial intelligence (AI), AI-native connectivity, computing infrastructure, and the integration of connectivity and computing technologies. The discussions considered how these developments could be incorporated into enterprise networks to enable new digital applications, improve network capabilities and address the changing requirements of South African customers.

During a separate management meeting, Comsol reiterated its confidence in the partnership and the opportunities for further cooperation. The companies intend to combine ZTE's technology development expertise and global research and development capabilities with Comsol's local customer relationships, market knowledge and implementation experience to advance next-generation digital infrastructure deployment across South Africa.

ZTE and Comsol plan to continue expanding their collaboration, with a focus on applying advanced connectivity and digital technologies to practical business requirements. Their stated objective is to make reliable and accessible digital services available to more individuals and enterprises across South Africa.

Paratus expands East Africa connectivity through its G2M fibre route, Starlink services and new LEO satellite offering

Paratus Group is strengthening its connectivity presence in East Africa through new infrastructure, services and cross-border network connections

The pan-African telecommunications and network services provider will showcase its expanding regional network at ITW Africa 2026 in Nairobi this month, following the launch of its Goma-to-Mombasa (G2M) fibre route, the recent introduction of Starlink services in Uganda and further network interconnections across the region.

Paratus will also host a welcome reception for customers, partners and industry leaders attending ITW Africa. Group Chief Technical Officer Gert Duvenhage and Paratus Kenya Country Manager Joseph Kibwott will be among the senior executives and sales teams representing the company.

G2M fibre route connects East and Central Africa

A key part of Paratus' East African network is the 2,000-km Goma-to-Mombasa terrestrial fibre route. The G2M route connects Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with Mombasa on Kenya's coast, passing through Kigali, Kampala and Nairobi.

The route is now live and carrying traffic, creating an east-west connectivity link while providing access to international subsea cable capacity landing at Mombasa.

Paratus is further extending its network through points of presence and interconnections at data centres and internet exchanges. These connections allow traffic to move more directly between networks, while providing customers with additional routing options and greater flexibility when connecting operations across national borders.

Starlink adds satellite connectivity in Uganda

Paratus has also expanded its connectivity offering through the recent launch of Starlink services in Uganda. The satellite service adds another connectivity option for businesses operating in areas where fixed network infrastructure can be limited or unavailable.

By combining terrestrial fibre infrastructure with satellite connectivity, Paratus is expanding the range of network options available to customers across the region.

Paratus Kenya Country Manager Joseph Kibwott said: “The G2M route is live, our footprint in the region is growing and we are bringing different connectivity technologies together to give customers more choice. For businesses operating across several markets, the value is being able to work with one network partner across countries and technologies.”

Paratus combines fibre, data centres and satellite

Paratus Group Chief Technical Officer Gert Duvenhage said, “A strong network is about more than fiber alone. It is about combining terrestrial infrastructure, data centers, internet exchanges and satellite connectivity to create reliable routes for customer traffic. Paratus is therefore a compelling and strong partner for connectivity in East Africa.”

At ITW Africa, Paratus will also introduce its new Layer 2 connectivity over LEO Satellite service for the East African market.

The service is designed to provide secure, private connectivity between offices, branches, data centres and remote sites. Organisations can use the service to connect multiple locations through a single private network, supporting reliable performance, greater resilience and scalable business growth.

The new offering adds LEO satellite connectivity to Paratus' East African network portfolio as the company continues to develop cross-border infrastructure and connectivity services across the region.

WIOCC secures US$300m investment to expand Africa’s digital infrastructure

WIOCC Group has secured a combined US$300mn investment from Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Vision International Investment Company (Vision Invest) to accelerate the expansion of digital infrastructure across Africa

The investment follows the signing of a Shareholder Subscription Agreement (SSA) between WIOCC Group, AFC and Vision Invest at the LEAP 2026 Global Technology exhibition in Riyadh. The funding will support WIOCC Group’s strategy to develop and operate open-access, carrier-neutral digital infrastructure while strengthening connectivity and digital ecosystems across the continent.

Key investment highlights

• US$300mn: AFC and Vision Invest will make a combined investment in WIOCC Group.
• Pan-African expansion: WIOCC Group operates across more than 30 African countries.
• Data centre growth: The investment will accelerate data centre deployment and consolidation.
• Terrestrial fibre: WIOCC plans to expand its open-access terrestrial fibre footprint across Africa.
• Subsea infrastructure: The company will invest strategically in new subsea assets to strengthen international connectivity.
• Digital economy: The investment is intended to support growing demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data and digital services.
• Open-access infrastructure: WIOCC will continue developing infrastructure that enables businesses and service providers to access connectivity and digital services across African markets.                                                                                                                                                                                           

The investment comes as demand for digital infrastructure continues to increase across Africa. Internet adoption remains significantly below the global average, highlighting the need for further investment in connectivity and supporting infrastructure.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 35.7% of Africa’s population was using the internet in 2025, compared with a global average of 73.6%. At the same time, the expansion of cloud computing and artificial intelligence is increasing demand for high-capacity networks, data centres and international connectivity.

WIOCC Group has developed an extensive open-access digital infrastructure platform spanning terrestrial fibre, subsea connectivity and data centre infrastructure. Its operations support customers seeking to enter new markets and deliver digital services at scale.

The company is backed by African telecommunications operators and strategic investors, alongside international development and investment institutions. Its shareholder base includes Uganda Telecom, Dalkom Somalia, Djibouti Telecom, Mozambique Telecom (TMCEL), Zanzibar Telecom (Zantel), Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet), Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA), ONATEL, TelOne and Telkom Kenya.

Commenting on this investment, Samaila Zubairu, president & CEO 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.’

For WIOCC Group, the new investment will provide additional financial capacity to execute its long-term growth strategy across three core areas: data centres, terrestrial fibre and subsea infrastructure.

Chris Wood, group CEO 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 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.’

The investment also strengthens the partnership between WIOCC Group, AFC and Vision Invest as Africa enters a period of increasing demand for digital infrastructure.

President & CEO 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 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.’

The additional capital is expected to strengthen WIOCC Group’s financial position while supporting its expansion into new markets and enhancing its ability to respond to changing customer requirements.

Joshua Smythwood, group chief strategy and M&A Officer of WIOCC Group, concluded, ‘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.’

The US$300mn WIOCC investment represents a significant step in the development of Africa’s digital infrastructure ecosystem. With additional investment in data centres, terrestrial fibre and subsea assets, WIOCC Group aims to expand the open-access infrastructure needed to support cloud services, AI, digital businesses and cross-border connectivity across the continent.