Actis led a consortium to acquire 100% of Swiftnet, a leading South African telecom tower platform, in a deal valued at approximately $370m. 

The transaction, finalised with seller Telkom, underscores private equity’s growing role in digital infrastructure across emerging markets.

The Actis-led group now holds a 70% stake in Swiftnet, while Royal Bafokeng Holdings has acquired the remaining 30%. The consortium includes both international and domestic investors, notably the Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC), a 100% Black-owned South African investment firm focused on scalable opportunities in growth sectors like telecoms.

Swiftnet operates more than 4,000 tower sites across South Africa and is well-positioned to become the country’s leading independent TowerCo. The company plans to accelerate mobile network expansion into underserved rural areas while enabling South Africa’s transition to 5G connectivity. Swiftnet will retain its close tenant relationships, including with Telkom, to sustain its growth trajectory.

This acquisition further establishes Actis’s reputation as a leading investor in South African digital infrastructure. It follows the firm’s 2024 exit from fibre operator Octotel and builds on recent deals in the Balkans and Asia, where Actis has backed Connectis Tower and Epoch Digital, respectively.