Axian Telecom’s fibre subsidiary, Axian Telecom Fibre, has completed the acquisition of 99.63% stake in Wananchi Group, a fixed broadband provider, as it looks to strengthen its position in high-demand fibre markets across East Africa.
Axian currently connects over one million homes across its African footprint and sees East Africa as one of the continent’s fastest-growing broadband regions, driven by rising data consumption among consumers and enterprises.
The acquisition marks Axian’s entry into Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Malawi, with further expansion into neighbouring markets planned. Axian’s existing operations in Tanzania will be merged with Wananchi’s business.
Wananchi operates two main brands – Zuku, targeting consumers, and Simbabet, which serves enterprises with last-mile networks and an extensive fibre backbone. Under Axian’s ownership, the company will benefit from increased investment to scale its fibre-to-the-home, Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN), and cloud connectivity offerings across the region.
Axian Telecom CEO Hassan Jaber said: “Wananchi Group’s network, customer relationships, and local expertise align perfectly with our ambition to be a leader in broadband connectivity across Africa. Yas already has a strong presence in East Africa, and this acquisition builds on our understanding of the region’s opportunities while giving us access to new vibrant markets in Kenya and Uganda.”
Bertrand Lacroix, CEO of Axian Telecom Fibre, added: “Our goal is to build a leading pan-African broadband connectivity provider, and Wananchi’s addition is a big step forward. We are committed to bringing high-speed internet to millions more Africans. Our performance so far – doubling our fixed broadband base and achieving double-digit revenue and EBITDA growth – underlines the strength of our model.”
Axian Telecom Fibre, known regionally as Yas, already operates in Tanzania, Madagascar, Comoros, Senegal, and Togo. The integration of Wananchi will leverage Yas’s operational scale, investment capacity, and cross-market expertise. Continuity of employment and business operations will be maintained during the transition.
