Zuku Broadband Gets New Owner as AXIAN Telecom Completes Wananchi Group Takeover

Zuku, one of East Africa’s most recognizable home-internet brands, is officially under new ownership. AXIAN Telecom, through its subsidiary Yas, has completed the acquisition of 99.63% of Wananchi Group, the parent company behind consumer ISP Zuku and enterprise solutions provider SimbaNET.

The deal — first signaled in late 2023 — has now closed, bringing Zuku’s retail fiber and SimbaNET’s enterprise network under AXIAN’s fast-expanding regional telecom portfolio. Zuku is a major player in Kenya’s fixed broadband market and also operates in Uganda, Tanzania, and Malawi, primarily through fiber and cable internet offerings.

What the deal means for East Africa’s internet market

AXIAN Telecom, headquartered in Madagascar, has been steadily building a footprint across Africa’s telecom and digital infrastructure landscape. The group already operates mobile networks and digital services in several countries. These include Madagascar, Tanzania, Senegal, Togo, and Comoros. They serve tens of millions of customers across the continent.

AXIAN’s acquisition of Wananchi Group adds one of East Africa’s largest legacy fiber networks to its portfolio. This is a strategic move into the fast-growing fixed broadband sector. The demand in this sector is being driven by streaming, remote work, fintech, and cloud services adoption.

Zuku has long been seen as a key fiber-to-home player in Kenya, competing against Safaricom Home, Jamii Telecom (Faiba), and Liquid Home. In Uganda they are up against the likes of Roke Telkom, Faibanet, MTN Fiber and 10 more ISPs in the internet business while in the paid satellite TV space, they are mostly competing with DStv.

AXIAN says the acquisition reflects a long-term investment in fixed broadband expansion — a segment that still lags behind mobile connectivity across much of Africa, where only about 2–3% of households have fixed internet access in many markets.

Customers can expect upgrades — but competition is heating up

In a statement posted on Facebook, the companies say the deal will deliver “stronger, faster, and more accessible internet” for Zuku customers, promising:

• Improved network reliability
• Broader fiber rollout
• Enhanced customer experience
• Next-generation broadband technology

That pledge comes at a time when Zuku — especially in Kenya and Uganda — has faced criticism for service interruptions and slow speeds. Infact, I migrated from Zuku to another ISP earlier last year because of the same. With AXIAN’s capital and operational expertise, we hope the new owners reboot Zuku’s quality and brand perception.

Industry analysts see the move as strengthening competition in East Africa’s fixed broadband market. With Safaricom aggressively expanding FTTH and Starlink entering African markets including Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, Zuku will need to sharpen its offering to maintain relevance.