Grace Ashiru
AXIAN Telecom is moving to deepen its investment push across Africa as development finance institutions continue to back the group’s expansion plans. The pan-African telecoms operator is linked to a new long-term financing arrangement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, reinforcing its strategy to strengthen mobile and fixed broadband infrastructure in key markets.
The EBRD project concerns a loan to AXIAN Telecom Holding and Management PLC. The financing is structured around network investment in Senegal and Kenya, where AXIAN is seeking to modernise and expand its mobile and fixed operations. In Senegal, the funding is expected to support the growth of active 4G and 5G mobile networks, the improvement of core infrastructure and the deployment of fibre. In Kenya, it is tied to the modernisation and expansion of fibre infrastructure after AXIAN’s entry into the market through its acquisition of Wananchi.
The EBRD documentation lists the financing as an up to €170 million committed tranche. Part of the facility may also be provided in Kenyan shillings to support capital expenditure in Kenya. The loan may be structured as an A/B loan, allowing commercial lenders to participate alongside the development bank.
The transaction comes after the African Development Bank approved a $160 million senior corporate loan for AXIAN Telecom in 2025. That earlier AfDB support was aimed at expanding digital access and financial inclusion across nine African countries, with an emphasis on modernising 4G and 5G infrastructure and widening access to digital financial services.
AXIAN Telecom has grown into one of Africa’s important regional telecoms groups. It operates across several markets, including Senegal, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Togo, Comoros, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Réunion and Mayotte. The company offers mobile and fixed broadband services under the Yas brand and runs mobile financial services through Mixx by Yas and Mvola in selected markets.
The latest financing push shows how telecoms infrastructure has become a priority area for development finance institutions. For lenders such as the EBRD and AfDB, supporting AXIAN is not only about network growth. It is also about improving internet coverage, boosting data capacity, expanding digital financial inclusion and increasing competition in markets where stronger connectivity can support economic activity.
For AXIAN, the backing provides long-term capital at a time when telecom operators need large investments to keep up with data demand, fibre rollout, 5G deployment and mobile money growth. It also gives the group more room to compete with established operators while expanding its footprint across African markets.
The financing still sits within a broader context of scrutiny. EBRD’s assessment identifies environmental and social issues, including digital risks linked to privacy, data security and cybersecurity. These concerns reflect the growing importance of responsible infrastructure finance as telecoms networks become central to economies, public services and personal data.
If completed, the funding would strengthen AXIAN’s position as one of Africa’s most active cross-border telecom groups and add momentum to the continent’s wider digital transformation agenda.
