About Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa
The Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa comprises 337 companies, including 41 funded companies having collectively raised $3.03B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 36 are Series A+ funded.
Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa has seen 25 acquisitions and 6 IPOs. This represents almost 9.2% of all such companies - which is higher than the 5.0% exit rate of tech companies in general.
This sector includes companies which own and operate telecom infrastructure which is used by telecom operators to provide services to the end customers.
Companies included in Telecom Infrastructure
Companies which own the network (sub-sea cables, fiber, IP) and provide wholesale network services to the service providers. Companies which own the telecom towers (passive infrastructure)Companies excluded in Telecom Infrastructure
Companies which provide hardware and software across the various segments of the telecom infrastructure (Radio-Access Network, Core Network, Transport Network)Top Telecom Infrastructure Companies in Africa
There are more than 337 companies in Telecom Infrastructure in Africa. MainOne is the top Telecom Infrastructure company in Africa, ranked using Tracxn Score (what's this?).
Here are 5 of the top Telecom Infrastructure companies in Africa:
Company | Description | Location | Founded | Current Stage | Private Funding Raised |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wholesale connectivity and data center services provider | Lagos (Nigeria) | 2007 | Acquired | $30M | |
Wholesale fiber network services provider | Nairobi (Kenya) | 1995 | Series C | $125M | |
Fiber infrastructure provider | Johannesburg (South Africa) | 2014 | Acquired | - | |
Provider of television broadcasting services | Ebene City (Mauritius) | 2008 | Series C | $135M | |
Fiber network infrastructure services provider | Centurion (South Africa) | 2007 | Acquired | - |
Companies founded year-on-year in the Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa
23 Telecom Infrastructure startups in Africa were founded in 2017 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | - |
2025 | - |
2024 | - |
2023 | 2 |
2022 | 8 |
2021 | 11 |
2020 | 6 |
2019 | 5 |
2018 | 6 |
2017 | 23 |
Stage-wise distribution of Telecom Infrastructure sector companies in Africa
Out of the total 337 Telecom Infrastructure companies in Africa, 41 have secured funding. Among them, 36 have reached Series A or higher, and 35 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 337
Funded - 41
Series A+ - 36
Series B+ - 35
Series C+ - 34
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 337 |
Funded | 41 |
Series A+ | 36 |
Series B+ | 35 |
Series C+ | 34 |
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Funding Trends in the Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa
Total funding year-on-year in the Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa
The Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa saw a total funding of more than $1.73B in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2021 at more than $370M.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2025 | $352M |
2024 | $40M |
2023 | $52.3M |
2022 | $327M |
2021 | $370M |
2020 | $218M |
2019 | $25M |
2018 | - |
2017 | $198M |
Recent Funding Rounds in Telecom Infrastructure in Africa
In the year 2025, till October 2025, Telecom Infrastructure companies in Africa have raised $27M in equity funding across 1 round.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in Telecom Infrastructure companies in Africa:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Series A | 6835 | Oct 03, 2025 | ||
Seed | 7186 | Nov 30, 2023 | ||
Series C | 4629 | Nov 14, 2023 | ||
Series B | 5332 | Jun 21, 2023 | - | |
Series C | 7525 | Sep 28, 2022 |
Top Investors in Telecom Infrastructure in Africa
Convergence Partners is the top investor in Telecom Infrastructure companies in Africa based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in Telecom Infrastructure companies in Africa:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Johannesburg (South Africa) | ||
London (United Kingdom) | ||
London (United Kingdom) | ||
Atlanta (United States) | - | |
Johannesburg (South Africa) |
M&A activity in Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa
In the year 2025, till March 2025, 1 acquisition happened in Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa. Last year, in 2024, a total of 4 acquisitions happened in Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Mar 28, 2025 | ||
Business Acquisition | Oct 02, 2024 | ||
Business Acquisition | May 10, 2024 | ||
Business Acquisition | May 09, 2024 | ||
Business Acquisition | Apr 11, 2024 |
Acquisition trends in Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa
Here are the acquisition trends in Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | - |
2025 | 1 |
2024 | 4 |
2023 | 1 |
2022 | 2 |
2021 | 2 |
2020 | 2 |
2019 | 3 |
2018 | 6 |
2017 | - |
IPOs in Telecom Infrastructure in Africa
In the year 2009, till March 2009, 1 IPO happened in Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in Telecom Infrastructure sector in Africa:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Mar 13, 2009 | OTC Markets (OTCMKTS) |
Colleges which produce the most Telecom Infrastructure companies in Africa
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the Telecom Infrastructure in Africa
Most number of Telecom Infrastructure startups in Africa have been founded by alumni from Imperial College London and University of Warwick.
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Imperial College London | 1 |
University of Warwick | 1 |
Top News in Telecom Infrastructure in Africa
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YouTube, Vumatel partner on fiber and connected TV pilot in SAConnecting Africa•Nov 17, 2025•Vumatel, YouTube
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MainOne strengthens network resilience with Equiano submarine cable integrationAfrica Business Communities•Jan 21, 2025•MainOne, Submarinenetworks
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MainOne’s MDXI Obtains Tier III Constructed Facility CertificationBusiness Post Nigeria•Dec 28, 2024•MainOne
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Parallel Wireless Partners With Hotspot Networks, Bringing First-Time Connectivity to 500 Rural SitesBusiness News This Week•Jan 11, 2024•Hotspot Network, Parallel Wireless
