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Raxio raises $380M for African data centre expansion into Tanzania

Raxio Group raises $380M from Meridiam and Roha Group to build carrier-neutral data centres across Africa, targeting Tanzania and AI workloads.

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Raxio raises $380M for African data centre expansion into Tanzania

What Happened

Raxio Group, a pan-African carrier-neutral colocation operator, has increased its total funding pool to $380M, as reported by The Next Web. The new equity comes from existing shareholders Meridiam (French infrastructure investor) and Roha Group (US-based), both of whom have previously invested. This adds to a $100M debt package from the IFC secured earlier in 2025 and a sustainability-linked facility of up to $170M from Proparco and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund. The company operates facilities in DRC, Mozambique, Ivory Coast, Angola, Ethiopia, and Uganda. CEO Robert Skjødt confirmed the Tanzania entry — specifically Dar es Salaam, where a Tier III carrier-neutral facility was first announced in March 2022 — but did not disclose the facility's size, cost, or opening date.

Source: The Next Web

Why It Matters

Africa's data centre capacity is projected to grow from ~0.4 GW today to as much as 2.2 GW by 2030, requiring $10-20B in investment. Raxio's $380M positions it as a first-mover landlord in markets hyperscalers have historically skipped. With Microsoft, AWS, and Google all extending cloud services into Africa, colocation operators with facilities already standing in six countries are positioned to capture demand rather than compete against hyperscalers. The bet is that international cloud providers will need local infrastructure partners rather than building their own in every market.

The $380M funding pool figure and Tanzania entry confirmation are new developments. The Dar es Salaam facility was originally announced in March 2022, so the Tanzania expansion itself is not new — what's new is the capital commitment and CEO Skjødt's public confirmation that international cloud providers are 'making plans' for Africa. Single source (TNW), so confidence is moderate.

Strategic Takeaways

  • AI startup founder: If you're building AI products targeting African markets, local colocation is becoming available in markets hyperscalers have skipped. Consider whether metro-edge deployment in cities like Dar es Salaam, Kampala, or Addis Ababa gives you latency or data sovereignty advantages over routing through Cape Town or Nairobi.
  • Developer/operator building with AI APIs: African data centre capacity is expanding but remains far behind global standards. If you're deploying AI workloads for African users, expect improving but still limited local infrastructure — plan for hybrid architectures that combine edge inference with centralized training.
  • Non-technical business owner evaluating AI tools: Data sovereignty requirements in African markets may increasingly require local data centre hosting. If you operate in DRC, Mozambique, Ivory Coast, Angola, Ethiopia, or Uganda, carrier-neutral colocation is now available — factor this into compliance and vendor selection decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Raxio Group? Raxio Group is a pan-African carrier-neutral colocation operator with facilities in six countries: DRC, Mozambique, Ivory Coast, Angola, Ethiopia, and Uganda. The company targets hyperscalers and international cloud providers needing local data centre infrastructure.

How much has Raxio raised in total? Raxio's total funding pool is now $380M, comprising new equity from shareholders Meridiam and Roha Group, a $100M IFC debt package (2025), and a sustainability-linked facility of up to $170M from Proparco and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund.

Why is Africa's data centre market growing? Africa's data centre capacity is projected to grow 5x by 2030 — from roughly 0.4 GW today to as much as 2.2 GW — requiring $10-20B in investment according to McKinsey estimates. International cloud providers are expanding into the continent, driving demand for local colocation infrastructure that hyperscalers can use rather than building their own facilities in every market.