ATOMNIA expands secure connectivity across Africa

Networking and cybersecurity specialist ATOMNIA, in collaboration with the Wallonia Export & Investment Agency (AWEX) and Belgian technology incubator IGNITY, has strengthened its partnership to accelerate the growth of secured digital connectivity across Africa

The initiative will support ATOMNIA’s continent-wide rollout of its pay-as-you-go OMNIA solution through its distribution and enablement partner, Smart Hands Africa.

The OMNIA solution has been purpose-built to swiftly meet the networking and security demands of African enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized organisations that face challenges such as remote operations, unreliable internet access, and unstable electricity supply.

During a signing ceremony hosted at the AfricaCom reception at the Belgian Consulate in Cape Town, ATOMNIA’s CEO and co-founder Anthony Senter stated, “Our partnerships with IGNITY and the Wallonia Export & Investment Agency, AWEX, have helped us with our international expansion, but have been especially beneficial in furthering our African aspirations. We are looking forward to growing our network of partners throughout the continent and making a meaningful contribution to business development in the region.”

Belgian trade relations with Africa strengthen

The European Union remains a key investor in South Africa, accounting for 41% of total foreign direct investment, with more than 2,000 EU companies operating in the country and creating over half a million jobs.

Belgium ranks as the fifth-largest EU supplier and the third-largest EU client to South Africa. In 2024, Belgian exports to South Africa reached EUR 1.5 billion, while imports totalled EUR 2.9 billion.

“Digital transformation on the continent is booming. In May this year, we organised a trade mission focused on digital technologies and smart city solutions to support market access for companies from Wallonia and Brussels. Twelve companies took part, with all of them reporting very positive outcomes. We believe that South Africa, and Cape Town in particular, offer a dynamic tech ecosystem well suited for international collaboration,” said Catherine Bauwens, trade and investment counsellor at AWEX. “This week, we are pleased to support the launch of ATOMNIA into the African market, and we wish them every success in their development.”

Local challenges, smart solutions

OMNIA integrates SASE cybersecurity and SD-WAN networking into a unified platform, providing layered protection, connectivity, and AI-driven threat detection. It differentiates itself through flexible financing and subscription models that make enterprise-grade technology more accessible.

Unpacking the African model, Anton Jacobsz, CEO of Smart Hands Africa, commented, “OMNIA has been designed to solve the networking and cybersecurity challenges that so many African businesses face. These include high costs exacerbated by inflexible, long-term contracts from major global vendors. Our pay-as-you-go approach reduces upfront costs for small and medium businesses and simplifies adoption, no matter how remote they may be. This is how we build a connected, empowered, and tech-enabled Africa.”

ATOMNIA’s engineering team has simplified the traditionally complex setup of networking and cybersecurity systems by integrating firewalls, analysers, and SD-WAN components into a single Smart SASE solution. “Unlike typical solutions where users might need to purchase separate firewalls, analysers, and SD-WAN components, this product range integrates them into a single package. It can best be described as a Smart SASE solution, designed to extend beyond the current industry norms. Our focus is on delivering both advanced security and flexible, reliable connectivity, especially suited to small and medium businesses with remote locations. This all-in-one approach and ability to use varied connection types, make the product more robust and versatile than just a conventional SD-WAN,” Senter explained.

Key differentiators include multi-network compatibility (fibre, LTE/5G, and satellite such as Starlink), 12-volt battery backup for power-unstable regions, and no long-term contracts, all tailored for remote businesses, schools, and retailers.

ATOMNIA’s five-year collaboration with IGNITY continues as the company scales globally. “We saw a hidden gem in ATOMIA. We were impressed by their background and technical experience, but also by their vision of delivering easy access security solutions, independent of the traditional giants,” said Nicolas Vanhaelen, CEO of IGNITY. “Security shouldn’t be a privilege. ATOMNIA aims to bring independent, secure connectivity to the world, and IGNITY is proud to help them achieve this goal.”