สวัสดี,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- IHS Towers is exiting Rwanda
- This startup is closing Africa’s remote job gap
- South African Competition Commission approves Canal+-MultiChoice merger
IHS Towers is exiting Rwanda
IHS Towers is exiting Rwanda. The telecom infrastructure giant has struck a deal to sell its entire Rwandan business, including about 1,465 tower sites, to Paradigm Tower Ventures, a new entrant focused on building wireless infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa.
The $274.5 million deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025, pending regulatory approval. IHS says the transaction values the business at 8.3 times adjusted EBITDA, a significant premium over its broader group valuation.
This marks the first major move for Paradigm Tower Ventures, part of Paradigm Infrastructure, which was launched in 2019 to chase tower opportunities in emerging markets. Rwanda will be its starting point as it looks to ramp up new tower builds across the region.
For IHS, the decision to sell was strategic. “This move highlights the value of our Rwanda operations and supports our broader push to create shareholder value,” said IHS CEO Sam Darwish. The company still owns over 39,000 towers across markets like Nigeria, Brazil, South Africa, and Zambia.
Paradigm is bullish on Rwanda. “It’s a promising market with growing demand for shared infrastructure,” said Stephen Harris, co-founder of the new platform. The company says it’s focused on providing secure, high-quality service to mobile network operators.
The sale comes at a time when telecom infrastructure players are rethinking their portfolios. While IHS is scaling in some markets like Zambia, it’s now betting that offloading Rwanda is the smarter play.
This startup is closing Africa’s remote job gap
Everywhere you turn online, there’s a platform promising to teach you tech skills and help you earn in dollars within months. But with more grads entering the job market, some “tech bros” are stuck. They are skilled but jobless. Despite the global demand for digital talent, many Africans are being left out of the remote work boom.
That’s exactly what Paul and Andrew Eze are trying to fix. The brothers launched Remote4Africa in 2023 to connect Africa’s digital workforce to real remote jobs from around the world. They’re not new to the jobs space either; their previous venture, NgCareers, helped Nigerians find local jobs and was acquired by Jobberman in 2020.
Paul says most African job sites are focused on local, on-site roles, but young people across the continent want remote or hybrid options that offer more flexibility. Remote4Africa is their answer. It’s a remote-only job platform that vets listings to make sure they’re real and open to Africans.
Unlike global job boards that often exclude non-US applicants, Remote4Africa curates only remote roles that Africans can apply to. “We saw people using platforms like FlexJobs, only to find out many listings were US-only. So we decided to build something that works for Africans,” Paul says.
So far, it’s working. Remote4Africa has attracted nearly 200,000 users from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, with over 16,000 job listings shared since launch. If you Google “remote jobs in Africa,” chances are you’ll see them among the top results.But how does Remote4Africa make money, and what’s next for the fast-growing platform? Find out in Sarah’s latest for Techpoint Africa.
SA Competition Commission approves Canal+-MultiChoice merger
Canal+ is a step closer to sealing its R55 billion ($2.9 billion) deal to acquire South Africa’s pay-TV giant, MultiChoice. The South African Competition Commission has given its recommendation for approval, but there are some strict conditions attached to keep things fair for the public.
For starters, the deal requires Canal+ and MultiChoice to address concerns around job security, keep operations in South Africa running, and commit to boosting local content. They’ll also need to increase the shareholding by historically disadvantaged persons (HDPs) in the deal.
A new entity, called LicenceCo, will be created to hold MultiChoice’s South African broadcasting licence. This company will be majority-owned by HDPs to comply with the country’s foreign ownership laws, which limit foreign control of local broadcasting licences to 20% of voting rights. MultiChoice will still keep a 49% economic stake but only 20% voting rights.
The deal also has a three-year retrenchment freeze, meaning no layoffs will happen right after the merger. On top of that, Canal+ and MultiChoice will need to ensure that South African content gets a strong spotlight in new markets. They’ll also be encouraged to buy more from small and Black-owned suppliers, adding more diversity to the business.
This isn’t the first time foreign companies have had to jump through hoops for deals in South Africa. Even Elon Musk’s Starlink has faced similar issues, with Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws requiring 30% local ownership. Despite some pushback, the government seems to be easing up on these rules.
Though the Competition Commission has given the green light, Canal+ and MultiChoice still need the official OK from the Competition Tribunal and other regulatory bodies before the deal is finalised. Both companies are optimistic they’ll meet the conditions and wrap up the deal by the October 8, 2025, deadline.
In case you missed it
- Tanzania blocks X, citing national security after police account hack
What I’m watching
- How to Rethink AI — Before It’s Too Late | Yoshua Bengio | TED
- The Worst Time in History to Be Born as a Human
Opportunities
- Techpoint Africa is excited to be a media partner for World Product Day Lagos today, May 21, 2025. Join us for workshops, hackathons, and fireside chats focused on bold African innovation. Apply here.
- Want to exhibit or attend the Lagos Startup Expo in June? Visit this website here.
- MTN is recruiting for several roles. Apply here.
- IHS Towers is looking for professionals to fill several roles. Apply here.
- Moniepoint is hiring for several positions. Apply here.
- Kuda is recruiting for several roles. Apply here.
- Stanbic IBTC is looking for a Business Segment: Insurance & Asset Management. Apply here.
- Building a startup can feel isolating, but with Equity Merchants CommunityConnect, you can network with fellow founders, experts, and investors, gaining valuable insights and exclusive resources to help you grow your business. Click here to join.
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Have a superb Thursday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa.
