WIOCC, Africa’s Carriers’ Carrier and e&, the UAE telecom operator formerly known as Etisalat, has entered into a strategic partnership with to boost the growth of the hyperscaler ecosystem across Africa.
WIOCC and e& say the collaboration aims to further strengthen its presence in Africa, in addition to its global reach spanning across 38 markets in Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Central & Eastern Europe. It will also open up new avenues for growth in underserved and emerging markets across various parts of Africa.
According to Nabil Baccouche, Group Chief Carrier and Wholesale Officer, e&, “By combining e&’s carrier-grade infrastructure, global reach from Asia to Europe via the Middle East, and regional expertise, we offer tailored, high-capacity connectivity solutions for telcos and hyperscalers. Our Smarthub edge data centres, featuring AI-grade capabilities, further enhance this offering. This collaboration drives innovation and economic growth, ensuring businesses and communities across Africa access world-class digital services.
Together, e& and WIOCC are committed to advancing Africa’s digital landscape and reinforcing its role as a global technology hub. The integration of e&’s and WIOCC’s subsea networks will help the two companies offer scalable, resilient, and low-latency connectivity solutions to their clients.
e&’s and WIOCC aim to broaden their market presence but also demonstrates their dedication to drive digital transformation across the continent. This collaboration underscores both companies’ shared vision of empowering Africa’s digital transformation and strengthening the continent’s position as a hub for telco and hyperscaler innovation.
Ryan Sher – WIOCC Group Chief Operating Officer, underscored WIOCC’s unique capabilities and the mutual benefits of this collaboration: “Our partnership with e& marks a significant step forward in Africa’s digital transformation journey. WIOCC’s carrier-grade infrastructure, combined with our deep local knowledge and vast regional footprint, allows us to deliver tailored, high-capacity connectivity solutions that supports the complex needs of telcos and hyperscalers. Together with e&, we are uniquely positioned to drive innovation, growth and economic impact across Africa, ensuring that businesses and communities benefit from world-class digital solutions.”
The United Arab Emirates telecom operator Etisalat Group rebranded in 2022 to ‘etisalat by e&’ to become a better fit for the group’s positioning as a technology and investment conglomerate and expand its global reach, exploring new markets to pursue more strategic partnerships and acquisitions.
The rebrand was to help it grow its core and digital services beyond basic telecom services to include gaming, health, and insurance offerings after more than four decades. The rebranding came as the group decided to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the ever-evolving technology landscape, with four main business pillars: Telecom, e& life, e& enterprise, and e& capital – all catering to the Group’s various business segments.