Africa’s fastest-growing but least-served online markets are set to gain more affordable, reliable, and higher-speed internet access through a partnership between Raxio Group, the continent’s most expansive data centre operator, and Laser Light Africa, the regional unit of the U.S.-based operator of one of the world’s most advanced integrated digital networks.
The landmark agreement pairs Raxio’s expanding network of world-class Tier III carrier-neutral data centres with Laser Light’s scale and reach to deliver the most advanced digital access in seven high-growth markets—Angola, DRC, Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda—home to a nearly half a billion people.
By hosting and routing data closer to users through Raxio’s data centres and Laser Light’s network, the partnership will bring down the cost of internet, make services more reliable, and accelerate Africa’s digital transformation across industries from banking and e-commerce to healthcare, education, and entertainment.
Laser Light combines subsea, terrestrial and satellite optical links into a single seamless global platform, managed by software, that carries data at the speed of light around the world. Laser Light also provides competitive cloud services delivered to end-users alongside its advanced optical mesh network designed to handle massive volumes of data efficiently for global distribution.
Impact at Scale
Africa’s demand for data is soaring, yet businesses and consumers remain hampered by unreliable international connections and high costs. By localising data on the continent, the combined offerings of the two companies are expected to:
- Reduce delays — cutting latency from hundreds of milliseconds to just a few, enabling real-time services such as cloud computing, gaming, fintech, telemedicine, and AI-driven applications.
- Increase reliability — hosting applications in Tier III facilities designed for 99.982% availability (equivalent to less than two hours of downtime a year).
- Lower costs — local caching and peering can reduce wholesale bandwidth costs by up to 90%, with benefits expected to flow to end-users as retail prices fall and speeds rise.
- Improve Security – fewer networks handling private data whilst enroute.
- Advance sustainability — optical transport technology, which uses light signals instead of electricity to move data, consumes significantly less power per unit of information, while shorter routes reduce the energy burden of long-haul transmission.
First Stop: Angola
The first phase of the rollout will begin in Angola in 2026, anchored by Raxio’s newest data centre in Luanda and integrated with the country’s established subsea cable landings and Angonix Internet Exchange Point. Subsequent phases will extend across all of Raxio’s facilities.
“Digital infrastructure is the backbone of economic transformation,” said Robert Skjodt, CEO of Raxio Group. “By combining Raxio’s state-of-the-art facilities with Laser Light’s global optical network, we are delivering a platform that will power innovation, investment, and job creation for decades to come.”
Derek Friend, President and CEO of Laser Light Africa, added: “The teaming of these two companies positions Africa at the heart of a global digital highway. By opening new routes for data traffic, we are connecting African markets more directly to each other and to the rest of the world.”
Building Ecosystems and Jobs
Beyond connectivity, the project will create new jobs in construction, operations, and advanced network management, alongside training programs to build local expertise in Tier III data centre operations, peering, and optical technologies.
The partnership will also focus on several joint priority areas:
- Integrate infrastructure: Deploy Laser Light’s multi-domain optical mesh network, combining terrestrial fibre, subsea cable systems, modular data systems, and medium-earth-orbit (MEO) satellite connectivity across Raxio facilities.
- Expand interconnectivity: Establish Points of Presence (PoPs) and interconnection hubs within Raxio’s data centres to enhance regional and international traffic flows.
- Enable the edge: Co-develop edge data centre strategies to bring cloud, IoT, AI, and enterprise services closer to users.
- Ensure regulatory alignment: Jointly address local compliance on data sovereignty, energy standards, and ICT frameworks in each market.
