Standard Bank provides $42m term loan to support Africa’s fibre rollout
Standard Bank acted as joint arranger and co-lender in the transaction.
By Standard Bank
Standard Bank has arranged a $42 million term loan facility for Bandwidth & Cloud Services Group (BCS). This funding is designed to further the company’s mission to advance critical fibre infrastructure and pan-African connectivity.
We acted in our capacity as joint arranger and co-lender in the transaction. The facility is structured with a flexible repayment profile, enabling BCS to expand its fibre infrastructure into regions across various African markets. This innovative financing solution directly addresses the challenge of securing capital for critical infrastructure development in emerging markets, demonstrating our deep understanding of the telecommunications sector and our commitment to facilitating impactful investments."
The impact of this deal extends far beyond financial metrics. Africa’s digital landscape is rapidly evolving, with internet connectivity becoming an increasingly vital catalyst for economic growth, education and healthcare across the continent. However, significant disparities persist, particularly in underserved communities, where access to reliable and affordable digital infrastructure remains a critical challenge. Bridging this digital divide is paramount to unlocking Africa’s full potential and fostering inclusive development.
BCS’s network already reaches over 80 million end-users across 15 African countries, spanning over 80 000km of subsea, backbone and metro fibre. By investing in this vital infrastructure, BCS and its partners are actively providing affordable internet connectivity to communities that need it most. This initiative is instrumental in advancing critical social sectors, including education, healthcare, economic growth and social inclusion, directly aligning with the bank’s core purpose of driving sustainable growth across the African continent.
This partnership underscores Standard Bank’s unwavering commitment to its ethos: ‘Africa is our home; we drive her growth’. By leveraging its extensive footprint and sector expertise, the bank will continue to build deep relationships and facilitate investments that foster pan-African connectivity and economic development. The successful arrangement reaffirms the bank’s leadership in providing innovative investment banking solutions that champion African-focused assets and drive the continent’s digital transformation.