AXIAN Telecom Expands East African Fiber Footprint via Acquisition of Wananchi Group
AXIAN Telecom expands its East African digital infrastructure footprint by acquiring a majority stake in regional internet provider Wananchi Group.
NAIROBI / EBÈNE — Mauritius-headquartered telecommunications provider AXIAN Telecom, operating through its digital infrastructure vehicle AXIAN Telecom Fibre Ltd ("Yas"), has formally agreed to acquire a 99.63% controlling equity stake in Wananchi Group (Holdings) Ltd. The private equity consolidation transaction transfers control from legacy shareholders—including Emerging Capital Partners (ECP), Liberty Global, and Altice Africa—for an undisclosed consideration.
The deal provides AXIAN Telecom with direct operational scale across East Africa's fixed broadband, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), and enterprise connectivity segments, unlocking markets in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Malawi. Under the terms of the transaction, Wananchi's flagship consumer broadband operations under the Zuku brand and its B2B enterprise connectivity arm, Simbanet, will integrate into AXIAN's regional infrastructure network.
“Wananchi Group’s network, customer relationships, and local expertise align perfectly with our ambition to be a leader in broadband connectivity across Africa,” said Hassan Jaber, Chief Executive Officer of AXIAN Telecom. “Yas already has a strong presence in East Africa, and this acquisition builds on our deep understanding of the region's opportunities and needs while giving us access to new vibrant markets in Kenya and Uganda.”
“Our goal is to build a leading pan-African broadband connectivity provider, and Wananchi’s addition is a big step forward,” added Bertrand Lacroix, Chief Executive Officer of AXIAN Telecom Fibre. “We are committed to bringing high-speed internet to millions more Africans.”
The acquisition expands AXIAN Telecom's reach to over one million homes passed across Africa. The transaction enables previous private equity backers to exit while providing fresh growth capital to upgrade Wananchi’s last-mile fiber architecture, expand SD-WAN and cloud connectivity capabilities, and increase competition against regional incumbents.
Learn More at: https://www.axian-telecom.com/2025/11/05/yas-completes-acquisition-of-wananchi-reinforcing-its-leadership-in-fibre-across-africa/
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