MTN targets fintech and fibre to build Africa’s digital platform ecosystem
11 February 2026
MTN Group is shifting toward platform-driven growth across Africa, focusing on acquiring startups in payments, lending, and remittances to deepen its digital ecosystem. This strategic move signifies a move away from isolated startups toward integrated platforms serving millions.
According to Semafor, MTN is actively pursuing fintech acquisitions to bolster its rapidly expanding digital finance services, which already support payments, merchant transactions, airtime lending, and cross-border remittances across more than 10 markets. Valued at around $5.2 billion, MTN’s fintech platform surpasses many African unicorns, reflecting its dominance in mobile money and digital finance.
Find out more Airtel Nigeria expands international gateway access with new 2Africa submarine cable line
10 February 2026
Airtel Nigeria has announced plans to operate a new gateway connection via the 2Africa submarine cable from Kwa Ibo in Akwa Ibom State, located in the southern region of the country.
This new access point will complement the company’s existing infrastructure in Lagos, enhancing the resilience and capacity of Nigeria’s internet connectivity. The announcement was made last week by Airtel Nigeria’s Managing Director, Dinesh Balsingh.
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Paratus Group launches major new fibre route connecting East Africa to Goma
10 February 2026
Paratus Group has announced the activation of a significant new fiber optic route in East Africa, establishing a direct and resilient connection between Mombasa on the Kenyan coast and Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This 2,000-kilometer G2M (Goma-to-Mombasa) fiber route runs through Kigali in Rwanda, Kampala in Uganda, and Nairobi in Kenya, featuring direct interconnections into key data centers in each city. Now live and already serving its first wholesale clients, the route offers high-capacity, secure connectivity tailored for carriers, ISPs, and enterprise customers operating across regional borders.
Find out more Pan African DataCentres Exhibition & Conference: Showcasing the future of Africa’s digital infrastructure
06 February 2026
Pan African DataCentres Exhibition & Conference 2026 returns on 23–24 June 2026 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, bringing together the organisations, technologies, and people shaping the future of Africa’s datacentres & digital infrastructure. As the continent’s leading event dedicated to data centres and critical environments, Pan African DataCentres delivers a unique, face-to-face platform where operators, investors, engineers, consultants, and technology providers come together, to network, share experiences and source solutions.
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