Helios Towers to invest $110M in DRC as mobile demand rises
The telecom infrastructure company is expanding in one of Africa’s least connected markets as rising mobile usage, low penetration rates and digital infrastructure demand attract long-term investment capital.
By Samuel Okocha
Helios Towers will invest about $110 million in the Democratic Republic of Congo as the London-listed tower operator bets on one of its biggest growth markets.
Mobile data use is rising across Africa and coverage gaps remain wide in frontier markets like DR Congo.
The company said the investment will fund several hundred new tower sites, aiming to serve millions of people still lacking mobile service in the central African country.
Congo’s investment agency Agence Nationale pour la Promotion des Investissements (ANAPI) is backing the rollout. Last April, it signed a deal with Helios Towers DRC to cover underserved areas across 23 provinces. That includes Kinshasa, Haut-Katanga, Kongo Central, Nord-Kivu, and Kasai. ANAPI said it will support projects from design through implementation.
DRC remains underpenetrated
Helios Towers DRC investments date back to 2011 when it entered the country. The company says it has invested over $700 million in its DRC operations to date. It is now the largest independent tower operator there.
The company serves all four mobile networks in the country where Airtel, Orange, Vodacom, and Africell operate.
DR Congo has over 100 million people, but mobile penetration stands at just 34%. Connections, according to Helios, are growing at 7% per year. With the population growing 3% annually, low penetration and scale make DRC one of the most promising mobile markets globally.
Growth ahead
CEO Tom Greenwood told Bloomberg that Congo could grow faster than the continental average. About 40 million people there still lack coverage.
In earlier remarks to Inside Towers, he hammered on the broader regional outlook, saying, “Africa is the fastest growing place on the planet for mobile telephony and that’s expected to continue for many years.”
Digital impact is rising
The GSM Assocation says mobile technologies and services generated 7.7% of Africa’s GDP in 2024. That’s $220 billion. It projects the contribution will hit $270 billion by 2030. Growth will come from 4G, 5G, and Al.
“Africa and the Middle East remain compelling regions with decades of digital infrastructure growth ahead,” Helios said at its Capital Markets Day.
