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MoU partners aim to improve digital services and energy across Africa

MoU partners aim to improve digital services and energy across Africa

Proparco, Yas and Axian Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) through which the three partners aim to establish a long-term strategic partnership to improve access to digital services and energy across Africa.

Proparco is a French development finance institution. Yas (owned by Axian Telecom) is a leading telecommunications company that operates in 11 markets across Africa and the Indian Ocean, providing mobile, fixed, digital infrastructure and fintech services to more than 43 million customers. Axian Energy is a pan-African player committed to the sustainable transformation of the continent’s energy landscape.

This collaboration, the partners say, reflects the urgency of scaling up resilient infrastructure to ensure that more people across the continent benefit from affordable internet access, secure, reliable digital services, and clean energy.

In digital infrastructure, the partners will collaborate on the expansion of fixed and mobile networks to enhance connectivity, particularly in underserved and rural areas, and tackle the digital affordability gap. The development of data centres will also be a priority, strengthening local data storage and processing capacity, and supporting the emergence of African-led digital services, including artificial intelligence.

In the energy sector, cooperation will include the development of renewable energy production (solar, wind and hydropower), as well as battery storage solutions. The partners will also support telecom energy services (T-ESCO) to promote more energy-efficient digital infrastructure, and invest in electricity transmission and distribution networks, including decentralised solutions such as mini-grids to advance rural electrification. Electric mobility and charging infrastructure will also form part of the collaboration.

The MoU further extends to financial services, with a focus on digital financial solutions such as mobile money, insurance, microcredit and savings products to promote financial inclusion. The partners also intend to support African entrepreneurship by facilitating access to financing for startups and innovative companies, fostering dynamic local ecosystems.

Proparco intends to commit up to EUR300 million (about US$352 million) over the next three years to support the expansion of Axian’s activities, through corporate financing, subscriptions to project finance bond issuances, equity co-investments, or the mobilisation of concessional funds.

To achieve these objectives, Proparco, Yas and Axian Energy will work together on financing solutions – and collaborate on project engineering through joint identification and development of high-impact initiatives, as well as technical cooperation, including training and knowledge sharing on ESG standards, climate challenges and impact measurement.

This collaboration builds on Yas and Axian Energy projects that Proparco has already supported in 2025 and 2026.



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