Google-Backed CSquared Bets $125M on Broadband Infra in Africa
TLDR
- CSqauared is investing $125 million to expand carrier-neutral, open-access broadband infrastructure across the continent
- Launched in Uganda in 2011 and backed by Google, IFC, Mitsui & Co,, CSquared has laid more than 7,500 kilometres of fibre across six countries
- With a fresh $25 million injection in late 2023, CSquared is expanding into cross-border corridors and edge data centres
CSquared, the pan-African fibre company spun out of Google’s “Project Link,” is investing $125 million to expand carrier-neutral, open-access broadband infrastructure across the continent.
Launched in Uganda in 2011 and backed by Google, IFC, Mitsui & Co, Convergence Partners and others, CSquared has laid more than 7,500 kilometres of fibre across six countries, enabling over 100 ISPs and mobile operators. Its wholesale-only model allows providers to lease capacity rather than build duplicative networks.
With a fresh $25 million injection in late 2023, CSquared is expanding into cross-border corridors and edge data centres, including the Accra–Lagos route and planned extensions into Côte d’Ivoire. The company aims to link all 15 West African countries within five years.
“We are the neutral layer everyone else relies on,” said CCO Willem Marais. CTO Samuel Owusu Yeboah added that affordable, reliable connectivity will underpin Africa’s digital economy, from e-commerce to education.
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Points clés à retenir
Despite rapid mobile adoption, Africa’s digital growth is constrained by weak backbone infrastructure. Internet penetration remains below 50% in many regions, while cross-border calls and data transfers remain costly. CSquared’s model—co-build partnerships with governments and operators—lowers deployment costs while addressing political and regulatory hurdles. The investment reflects a broader trend of global capital targeting Africa’s digital backbone. For Google and IFC, supporting fibre expansion helps unlock downstream opportunities in cloud, fintech, and digital services. For African economies, better connectivity promises productivity gains, financial inclusion, and startup growth. But risks remain: fibre deployment is capital-intensive, politically sensitive, and dependent on regulatory cooperation. CSquared is betting that scale, neutrality, and collaboration can finally close the gap—and make affordable broadband a foundation for Africa’s digital future.
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