Mawingu has secured $20 Million Investment Funding from PRIF II to Scale
Affordable Digital Infrastructure Across Underserved Communities
1st OCTOBER 2025 | Nairobi, Kenya
Mawingu, East Africa’s largest Internet Service Provider (ISP) dedicated to rural and peri
urban markets, has secured a $20 million investment from Pembani Remgro Infrastructure
Fund II (PRIF II), a leading African infrastructure investment fund. This strategic funding will
accelerate Mawingu’s mission to scale inclusive, sustainable internet access across
underserved communities in Africa.
The investment is a significant milestone in Mawingu’s long-term expansion strategy, which
aims to impact 1 million people across the continent by 2028 through a combination of
disciplined acquisitions of local ISPs and the development of digital infrastructure in areas
historically left behind due to high capital costs and geographic barriers.
Mawingu’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Farouk RAMJI says:
“As a multi-country operator on the continent with dedicated presence in the rural and
peri-urban markets, this latest funding announcement marks a significant milestone for
Mawingu, moving closer to our goal of positively impacting 1 million people in Africa by
2028.”
Internet access has been shown to deliver benefits for education, employment, and income,
as well as promoting wider economic development. However, in many countries across the
continent, rural and peri urban customers tend to be unserved or underserved by existing
broadband provision and access costs can be prohibitively high. To address this ‘digital gap,’
Mawingu, through a disciplined ‘buy-and-build’ strategy, acquires, builds, and operates
sustainable networks which can be deployed in challenging rural and peri-urban environments.
The identification and acquisition of other successful ISPs will rapidly broaden the scale of
Mawingu’s impact, enabling the company to expand its network to strategic markets across
the continent.
The expansion strategy builds on Mawingu’s successful entry into Tanzania through the 2024
acquisition of Habari. Since the acquisition, Mawingu has secured a national license, added
more than 3,000 home users, and extended Habari’s coverage to 9 regions including Arusha,
Dodoma, Iringa, Manyara, Mara, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Morogoro and Shinyanga.
Leading the transaction from PRIF II’s perspective, Mr. Ridwaan TAYOB says:
“Mawingu’s track record of disciplined growth and innovation in underserved markets
makes them an ideal partner for PRIF II. This investment reflects our confidence in their
ability to scale sustainably across Africa, and we’re excited to support their mission of
expanding meaningful connectivity where it’s needed most.”
The limited adoption of fixed broadband in Sub-Saharan Africa represents a missed
opportunity for inclusive digital and economic growth. While mobile internet is more
widespread, household-level fixed broadband remains accessible to only around 12% of
households. The World Bank has found that a 10% increase in broadband penetration can raise
GDP growth by 1.38% in developing countries.
For more information:
Mawingu Networks
press@mawingu.co
www.mawingu.co
Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund II (PRIF II)
info@pembani-remgro.com www.pembani-remgro.com
Note to Editors:
About PRIF II
Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund II (PRIF II) is the second infrastructure investment fund
managed by Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Managers (PRIM) – a South African firm co
founded in 2012 by Remgro Limited, Phutuma Nhleko, and PRIM leadership. Launched in 2021,
PRIF II focuses on inclusive, long-term infrastructure development in digital connectivity,
energy, transport, and logistics sectors across Africa. Please visit www.pembani-remgro.com
for more information.
About Mawingu
Established in 2012 in Nanyuki, Kenya, Mawingu delivers meaningful, reliable internet to rural
and peri-urban areas through a combination of wireless, fibre, and green-energy technology.
Today, Mawingu connects over 26,000 homes and businesses across 31 counties in Kenya
and operates more than 200 base stations, making it the largest ISP in the region dedicated
exclusively to underserved markets. In 2024, Mawingu expanded beyond Kenya through the
acquisition of Habari Tanzania, further strengthening its mission to drive digital inclusion
across East Africa. Please visit www.mawingu.co for more information.
