RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, September 1, 2026/APO Group/ –WIOCC Group, Africa’s leading carrier-neutral digital infrastructure platform, today announced the signing of a Shareholder Subscription Agreement (SSA) with Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org) and Vision International Investment Company (Vision Invest), through which the two investors will make a combined US $300 million investment in the company. Signed at the LEAP 2026 Global Technology exhibition in Riyadh, the agreement represents a significant milestone in WIOCC Group’s growth journey, supporting its mission to build and operate open-access, critical infrastructure across Africa and to strengthen the digital ecosystems that underpin Africa’s economic transformation.

 




 

 

The investment comes at a pivotal moment for Africa’s digital development as demand for data, cloud services and artificial intelligence continues to grow. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), only 35.7% of Africa’s population was using the internet in 2025, compared with a global average of 73.6%, highlighting the scale of the continent’s digital infrastructure needs and growth potential. Meanwhile, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) projects the global AI market will reach US $4.8 trillion by 2033, while warning that access to AI capabilities and digital infrastructure remains concentrated in a limited number of countries and companies. These trends underscore the importance of investing in resilient, high-capacity infrastructure that can expand digital access, support cross-border data flows and help narrow the digital divide.

Operating in more than 30 African countries, WIOCC Group today is a key enabler for further expansion, having established one of the continent’s most extensive, open-access digital infrastructure platforms that supports its clients in accessing new markets and delivering reliable digital services at scale. Since its establishment, WIOCC Group has been supported by a group of African telecommunications operators and strategic investors, alongside leading international development and investment institutions including the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and African Capital Alliance (ACA). Its shareholders include Uganda Telecom, Dalkom Somalia, Djibouti Telecom, Mozambique Telecom (TMCEL), Zanzibar Telecom (Zantel), Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet), Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA), ONATEL, TelOne and Telkom Kenya. The backing of these leading investors and operators has been instrumental in WIOCC’s growth into one of Africa’s most extensive and trusted digital infrastructure platforms, delivering connectivity services across the continent and contributing to the continued growth of Africa’s digital economy.

Commenting on this investment, Samaila Zubairu, President & Chief Executive Officer of AFC, said, ‘The Africa we build must be connected, competitive and equipped to create value from the digital economy, not only consume it. Just as transport corridors enable trade and energy networks power industry, fibre, data centres and subsea cables are now essential infrastructure for growth, innovation and AI. Our investment in WIOCC will expand the open-access digital backbone African businesses and communities need to integrate, innovate and compete globally.’

Chris Wood, Group Chief Executive Officer of WIOCC Group, further explained, ‘Africa is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the next phase of global digital growth. As demand for cloud, AI and digital services accelerates, robust and scalable infrastructure will be essential to unlocking the continent’s potential. This investment enables WIOCC to execute its long-term growth strategy by accelerating data centre deployment and consolidation, expanding the continent’s open-access terrestrial fibre footprint and investing strategically in new subsea assets, strengthening Africa’s digital infrastructure platform and enhancing connectivity between the continent and key international markets.’

President & Chief Executive Officer of Vision Invest, Omar N. Al-Midani, added, ‘WIOCC Group has built one of Africa’s leading digital infrastructure platforms, and we are proud to partner together with AFC and WIOCC’s existing shareholders as the company enters its next phase of growth. Home to the world’s youngest population and expected to account for more than one-quarter of the global population by 2050, demand for digital services in Africa will continue to rise, necessitating impactful investments in connectivity and digital ecosystems to unlock new opportunities for innovation, economic diversification and sustainable growth as well as opportunities for businesses, innovators and communities across Africa.’

Joshua Smythwood, Group Chief Strategy and M&A Officer of WIOCC Group, concluded, ‘The successful completion of this investment marks an important step in WIOCC Group’s evolution, enhancing the Group’s financial strength and enabling the management team to strengthen our market position, accelerate growth, enhance our ability to meet the evolving needs of customers across Africa, and generate long-term value for investors and stakeholders.’

The investment brings together AFC’s long-standing commitment to advancing Africa’s economic development, Vision Invest’s experience in developing strategic and impactful infrastructure investments, and WIOCC Group’s established digital footprint and extensive client relationships. Together, AFC, Vision Invest and WIOCC aim to contribute to accelerating the development of Africa’s digital ecosystem and supporting the continent’s growing role in the rapidly evolving global digital economy.

HARARE, Zimbabwe, September 1, 2026/APO Group/ –Rockwell Automation (www.RockwellAutomation.com), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today announced a new collaboration with Mimosa Mine and Mine Elect to support the mine’s ongoing modernization program in Zimbabwe.
 




 

Mimosa Mine, a platinum‑group metals (PGM) and base metals operation located in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe, is undertaking a multi‑year digital migration initiative aimed at modernizing its operations and improving the resilience of its industrial infrastructure. As part of this journey, the mine recently upgraded its operational technology (OT) network and sought support for secure connectivity, cybersecurity (https://apo-opa.co/3UxzrqS) risk management and long‑term digital sustainability.

Through the project, Mimosa Mine is expected to benefit from improved visibility across its operational networks, stronger safeguards for critical systems and a more resilient digital foundation to support reliable and efficient mining operations over time. The scope of work focused on strengthening network architecture, improving security segmentation and establishing more secure mechanisms for system access, data transfer, monitoring and recovery.

“This project reflects a growing focus across the mining sector on operational resilience and cyber risk management as digital technologies become more deeply embedded in day‑to‑day operations,” said Rodrick Naidoo, country director for English‑speaking Africa at Rockwell Automation. “By working closely with Mimosa Mine and our local partner, we were able to align technology, governance and skills to support the mine’s broader modernization objectives while addressing the realities of an operational mining environment.”

A key element of the collaboration is Rockwell Automation’s long‑standing partnership with Mine Elect, a Zimbabwe‑based Rockwell Automation specialty distributor with deep experience supporting the mining and industrial sectors locally. Mine Elect provided local engineering, implementation and onsite support, helping to connect global capabilities with in‑country execution.

“We embarked on this digital transformation journey more than three years ago with the upgrade of key OT infrastructure, which included the migration of Mimosa’s legacy OT networks to Ethernet/IP,” said Dr. Blessing Mahomva, managing director of Mine Elect (https://apo-opa.co/4xstXfB). “Our role during this critical phase was to ensure the project was delivered in a way that was practical, sustainable and aligned with Mimosa’s operational priorities. This collaboration brought together global industrial expertise and local knowledge to support a mining operation that is actively investing in its digital future.”

Delivering industrial digital and cybersecurity initiatives in mining environments (https://apo-opa.co/4yj6KwF) presents unique challenges. Mining operations combine legacy systems, harsh physical conditions, safety critical processes and limited downtime windows, all which place constraints on how modern technologies can be deployed. In addition, the growing convergence of operational technology and information systems increases exposure to cyber risk, requiring careful design, sequencing and validation to avoid operational disruption.

“This project supports our broader digital migration journey by strengthening the resilience and security of our operational systems,” said Lloyd Shamu, head of technical services at Mimosa Mining Company (https://apo-opa.co/4zQv3n5). “Having partners who understand mining operations, the local context and the importance of secure, reliable infrastructure has been critical as we continue to modernize the way we operate.”

LAGOS, Nigeria, August 31, 2026/APO Group/ –Within GITEX Nigeria, taking place from 31 August to 3 September in Lagos, Kaspersky (www.Kaspersky.co.za), global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, warns that cyber attackers are currently deploying the same methods against small businesses as they do against large enterprises. To help strengthen corporate defences, Kaspersky is releasing recommendations alongside findings from a global survey by its Internal Research Center, which found that just 14% of businesses with 100 to 499 employees avoided a cyber incident in the past year. This figure is slightly higher in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region at 18%.
 




 
 

Cyberthreats aimed at businesses vary greatly from malware to trusted relationship attacks. Malware categories that saw the sharpest annual increase over the past year, according to Kaspersky statistics, are spyware (detections rose by 16% in Africa), password stealer attacks (increased by 51% in Africa), and backdoor detections (rose by 23% in Africa). These types of malware are commonly used to infiltrate corporate environments, steal confidential information, establish persistent access, and facilitate subsequent stages of targeted attacks. Exploits also remain a major issue for businesses.

Overall, Kaspersky security tools blocked more than 1.6 million online attack attempts on users in Nigeria in the first half of 2026, including malware attacks by password stealers, exploits, spyware, etc. Another 2.5 million on-device threats were blocked in Nigeria, including malware delivered via infected USB drives.

The illusion that small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) can fly under the radar of cybercriminals and from such attacks is becoming obsolete. As smaller organisations digitalise, and the cost of launching cyberattacks plummets, threat actors are increasingly shifting their focus toward growth-stage companies, weaponising emerging technologies (https://apo-opa.co/4qIj3Qg) and exploiting all possible cybersecurity gaps.

Kaspersky, a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, surveyed IT security specialists across SMBs and enterprises in 18 countries* to provide insights into the most critical risks facing businesses today.

The study reveals that, on average, organisations experienced three different types of security incidents over the past year. Globally for SMBs, phishing (20%), software vulnerability exploitation (17%) and external remote access (16%) top the list of the most frequently encountered breaches. Even though zero-day exploits and trusted relationship attacks ranked lowest, each of these extremely dangerous attacks was still encountered by 8% of organisations. While incident distribution was similar across all business sizes, threats like mass malware, ransomware, BEC (Business email compromise), and AI vulnerability exploits were more prevalent in large enterprises.

In the META region, the top categories of incidents in SMBs were similar to global statistics: phishing and software vulnerability exploits were encountered by 19% of organisations, followed by the use of weak or stolen credentials (18%) and external remote access (16%).

Respondents were also asked to select the top five factors that elevate the risk of successful cyberattacks in organisations. Globally, the two most frequently chosen factors by SMBs were people-related: lack of expertise among IT security staff (24%) and a lack of security awareness among non-IT employees (23%). Additionally, more than one-fifth of respondents selected insufficient IT security policies (21%), outdated software and hardware (21%) and high workload of IT security departments (20%) as key issues.

In the META region, insufficient expertise among IT staff and insufficient IT security policies were ranked top by SMBs (25% named both categories), followed by high workload on IT security departments (24%). Other categories that were often mentioned are a lack of centralised control over IT infrastructure and shadow IT (23%) and a lack of IT security awareness among employees as well as business decisions made without taking IT security into account – 22%.

To address rising threats and internal challenges, most SMB companies plan to enhance their IT security function (70% globally, 69% in the META region), and 75% globally (70% in META) have already increased their cybersecurity budgets this year. 41% globally (36% in META) allocated additional funds to expand their IT and IT security teams, 32% globally (32% in META) allocated budget to introduce new IT security trainings for employees, and 30% globally (24% in META) did so to migrate to advanced IT security solutions such as XDR, NDR, and SIEM.

“The current reality when companies of all sizes can be targeted with all possible methods urges business to reconsider their security posture. Sophisticated attacks easily bypass fragmented defences, requiring advanced tools and a skilled team to counter them. However, growing companies are often held back by budget constraints and the global InfoSec talent shortage,” says Ilya Markelov, Head of Unified Platform Product Line at Kaspersky. “That is why modern cybersecurity solutions must deliver more with less. Instead of introducing complex new tools that demand hard-to-find, expensive expertise, vendors should focus on cutting complexity. When designing our products for SMBs, our goal is to provide advanced protection that is easy to adopt, simple to manage, and able to grow alongside the business, helping organisations strengthen their security without adding unnecessary complexity or stretching their budget”.

To protect against emerging threats, Kaspersky provides the following recommendations for small and medium businesses:

1. Establish internal processes: implement strict access rules for all corporate resources and cloud services, ensuring IT promptly revokes permissions during employee offboarding. Integrate automated data backups into daily operations to secure critical information against emergencies and ransomware. Back these technical controls with continuous human risk management: simplify cybersecurity guidelines for safe browsing and password hygiene and require IT approval for all new software. These actions will allow to minimise related cyber incidents such as insider threats, use of weak or stolen credentials and exploitation of lost or stolen IT assets.
2. Protect your people: Conduct dedicated training to teach staff how to detect and address potential threats, including deepfakes and vishing and track their educational progress. Organisations can achieve this with the Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform (https://apo-opa.co/4gDrGai) through interactive online modules and simulated phishing campaigns that build sustainable cyber hygiene habits across all teams.
3. Choose the right technology defences: Implement specialised cybersecurity solutions that fit your budget, size, and industry requirements, with an emphasis on efficiency, versatility, convenience of use and scalability.

• Kaspersky Small Office Security Premium (https://apo-opa.co/4wXmjJ0) is a great choice for micro-businesses below 50 employees. It is an easy-to-use solution that protects against advanced threats, including malware and ransomware, provides digital hygiene tools such as password management and data backup and even includes security awareness training for employees.
• Companies with more mature IT expertise should consider Kaspersky Next Optimum (https://apo-opa.co/4xpBvje), which provides robust real-time prevention, threat visibility, as well as advanced detection and response capabilities with Next EDR and XDR Optimum. Organisations that need additional expertise without expanding their in-house security team can choose Kaspersky Next MXDR Optimum, combining XDR capabilities with continuous monitoring, expert threat analysis and incident response guidance delivered by Kaspersky analysts.
• Protect your business against email-borne threats, such as phishing, business email compromise, invoice payment fraud, etc. Kaspersky Security for Mail Server (https://apo-opa.co/4cnHQDw), a comprehensive email security platform that offers robust, multi-layered protection at mailbox and gateway levels, can help with this. Powered by machine learning and leading global threat intelligence, it effectively addresses all mail security challenges.

Visit Kaspersky on the expo days of GITEX Nigeria on 2-3 September at the Convention Center in Lagos, at stand B10 in Hall 2.

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