Today, Dr. Ammar Hamadien, our Principal Consultant and Head of Strategic Partnerships, moderated a high-level panel discussion at TowerXchange Africa 2025.
The panel, “Investing in Africa, by Africa: Scaling Digital Infrastructure through Local Capital”, delved into deep discussion among some of the leading ICT and financial sector expert brought together leading voices in the sector, including andré Mounif (Africa Regional Manager at STOA, Emre Bayarlar, CFA ( Senior Investment Officer at the IFC), Gerard LOKOSSOU (Executive Vice President at NuRAN Wireless ) and Tom M. (Country Manager Kenya at Atlas Yower).
The key takeaways from the panel included:
– Africa has no shortage of opportunities in the digital infrastructure space, whether it is towers, fiber, data centers or rural connectivity. There is also no scarcity when it comes to local capital, but mobilizing that capital is the real game changer for the continent.
– Blended finance, risk sharing, and long-term investments are no longer buzzwords. They are proven tools that, when strategically aligned with African financial institutions, pension funds and DFI, can unlock investment at scale across the continent.
– Strategic partnerships matter. Whether between government agencies, regulatory bodies, telcos, infrastructure companies, local and regional investors, derisking projects and making them bankable will be better achieved by joining forces.
– Impact is as important as financial returns. Building inclusive, equitable, resilient is not only a financial investment, it is a development imperative for Africa’s digital future.
The challenges and opportunities are clear; Africa must increasingly invest in Africa. Local African capital, when mobilized effectively, has the power to accelerate digital transformation and ensure that the value created stays within the continent.
With deep expertise in telecom regulation, digital infrastructure, and investment strategy, Salience Consulting helps operators, infrastructure companies, and investors navigate regulatory complexities, structure sustainable business models, and unlock new growth opportunities.