Proparco Backs Axian Telecom’s $600M Bond Drive to Expand Africa’s Digital Frontier
The proceeds of this bond will support the group’s continued investments in expanding connectivity and digital services across underserved regions of the continent.
Proparco has announced its participation in the new public bond issuance of Axian Telecom Holding for an amount of USD 25 million. The success of Axian Telecom’s new USD 600 million bond issuance marks a key financial milestone for the pan-African operator. Proparco is part of a pool of anchor investors such as IFC, DEG, BII, and the Emerging Africa and Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF). Anchor investors’ participation in the issuance contributed to mobilize broader interest from private investors in times of high uncertainties in the emerging bond market.
Axian Telecom is a leading pan-African telecom and digital services provider, operating in over 8 countries and serving tens of millions of people, including in French overseas territories Mayotte and La Reunion. The proceeds of this bond will support the group’s continued investments in expanding connectivity and digital services across underserved regions of the continent.
This transaction is Proparco’s third participation in a row in a public bond issuance in the Technology, Media and Telecomminications (TMT) sector. Despite a challenging macro environment, Axian Telecom’s bonds were oversubscribed three times the transaction size, sending a clear market signal for other high-yield bond issuers in emerging countries. Proparco will also support Axian Telecom climate adaptation strategy through tailor-made technical assistance, aiming at supporting Axian’s ambitious corporate sustainability strategy and building a long-term partnership.
“We are proud to support Axian Telecom as anchor investor in this landmark issuance. Our participation reflects not only our trust in Axian group’s long-term vision, but also our determination to mobilize private capital at scale to accelerate digital inclusion across the continent.”
–Emmanuelle Riedel Drouin, Head of the Financing Department, Proparco.
Proparco is one of the most active European development finance institutions in Africa, with 13 regional offices and near 50% of its activity in 2024 focused on the continent. Its role as anchor investor in this transaction is fully aligned with its strategy for the digital infrastructure sector, adopted in 2023, which prioritizes the financing of mobile network operators in frontier markets and the support of local digital ecosystem climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
With this partnership, Proparco continues to back African champions who are reshaping key infrastructure sectors, while leveraging its presence to mobilize private capital in support of inclusive and sustainable development. Aligned with Proparco’s strategic objectives, this investment supports key Sustainable Development Goals including SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
