Kenyan firm acquires Tanzania’s ISP Habari

Kenyan firm acquires Tanzania’s ISP Habari

Dar es Salaam. One of East Africa’s leading internet service providers (ISP) focusing on rural and peri-urban areas, Mawingu, has announced its acquisition of Habari, an Arusha-based ISP operating in seven regions of Tanzania.

The acquisition marks a significant milestone in Mawingu’s quest to expand its footprint across East Africa.

The acquisition, supported by Ksh1.9 billion (approximately $15 million) in debt and equity financing, will enable Mawingu to scale its affordable internet services to underserved communities and achieve its target of reaching one million East Africans by 2028.

“Mawingu and Habari share a commitment to enhance digital connectivity in areas that have traditionally been underserved due to high capital costs and logistical challenges,” said Mawingu chief executive officer Farouk Ramji.

“This acquisition brings Habari’s 25 years of experience in delivering internet and ICT solutions to rural households and businesses in Tanzania, significantly accelerating our mission,” he said.

The funding comprises Ksh1.4 billion ($11 million) in long-term senior debt from the Africa Go Green Fund (AGG), managed by Cygnum Capital, and an additional Ksh0.5 billion ($4 million) investment from InfraCo Africa—part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG)—and the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO).

The acquisition will allow Mawingu to replicate its success in Kenya while entering the Tanzanian market.

The company plans to use a ‘buy-and-build’ strategy to acquire and grow ISPs across East Africa, focusing on extending affordable home internet services to areas where only a fraction of households currently have access.

“This is a pivotal moment for the African telecommunications sector,” said Mr Ramji.

“With only 300,000 out of 14 million households in Tanzania connected to the internet, this acquisition—combined with the $15 million financing—will enable us to bring affordable internet connectivity to underserved communities, creating a more inclusive digital economy,” he said.

Mawingu’s success in Kenya, where it has grown from a startup to an established telecom provider, provides a strong foundation for its regional expansion. “We are excited to bring our model to Tanzania and beyond, taking us one step closer to positively impacting one million East Africans by 2028,” mr Ramji added.

Access to the internet is critical for education, employment, and economic growth, yet rural areas in Kenya and Tanzania remain underserved due to high costs and infrastructure challenges.

Mawingu’s approach involves building and operating sustainable networks that address these barriers, ensuring reliable and affordable connectivity in even the most challenging environments.

The managing director of the Africa Go Green Fund, Laurène Aigrain, praised Mawingu’s sustainable approach: “We are thrilled to support an ISP expanding access to remote communities while maintaining sustainability at its core. This investment aligns with our mission to back climate-friendly solutions that drive real change.”

Claire Jarratt, chief Investment officer at InfraCo Africa, highlighted the initiative’s development potential: “Mawingu’s growth demonstrates how innovative businesses can scale in rural markets, attract private sector investment, and contribute to climate change mitigation.”

Marieke Roestenberg, Manager of FMO’s Ventures Programme, also expressed confidence in Mawingu’s strategy: “This acquisition supports Mawingu’s vision of extending affordable internet access across East Africa. We are optimistic that the company’s inclusive model will continue to strengthen connectivity and foster social and economic development across the region.”

With its acquisition of Habari, Mawingu is set to reshape the digital connectivity landscape in Tanzania and the wider East African region, bridging the gap in internet access for millions of people.

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Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak
Tanzania Foreign Investment News
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Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak

Tanzania Declares End of Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak

Tanzania today declared the end of Marburg virus disease outbreak after recording no new cases over 42 days since the death of the last confirmed case on 28 January 2025.

The outbreak, in which two confirmed and eight probable cases were recorded (all deceased), was the second the country has experienced. Both this outbreak, which was declared on 20 January 2025, and the one in 2023 occurred in the north-eastern Kagera region.

In response to the latest outbreak, Tanzania’s health authorities set up coordination and response systems, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, at the national and regional levels and reinforced control measures to swiftly detect cases, enhance clinical care, infection prevention as well as strengthen collaboration with communities to raise awareness and help curb further spread of the virus.

Growing expertise in public health emergency response in the African region has been crucial in mounting effective outbreak control measures. Drawing on experience from the response to the 2023 Marburg virus disease outbreak, WHO worked closely with Tanzanian health authorities to rapidly scale up key measures such as disease surveillance and trained more than 1000 frontline health workers in contact tracing, clinical care and public health risk communication. The Organization also delivered over five tonnes of essential medical supplies and equipment.

“The dedication of frontline health workers and the efforts of the national authorities and our partners have paid off,” said Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, WHO Representative in Tanzania. “While the outbreak has been declared over, we remain vigilant to respond swiftly if any cases are detected and are supporting ongoing efforts to provide psychosocial care to families affected by the outbreak.”

Building on the momentum during the acute phase of the outbreak response, measures have been put in place to reinforce the capacity of local health facilities to respond to potential future outbreaks. WHO and partners are procuring additional laboratory supplies and other equipment for disease detection and surveillance and other critical services.

Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.

In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.

Source: allafrica.com

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