SEACOM, Africa’s pioneering digital infrastructure and services provider, has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SENTECH, a leader in broadcast and digital services, to accelerate the growth of small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) within South Africa’s telecommunications and digital ecosystem. The agreement, signed on 29 September 2025 at SEACOM’s Johannesburg offices, sets in motion a 12-month collaboration aimed at driving innovation, inclusion, and economic empowerment across the digital landscape. This strategic partnership underscores the shared vision of both organisations to advance SMME participation in South Africa’s digital economy.
The partnership between SEACOM and SENTECH is designed to strengthen the SMME ecosystem through mentorship, training, funding, and access to shared innovation platforms. By combining SEACOM’s extensive fibre infrastructure with SENTECH’s broad service reach, the collaboration will enable digital inclusion and provide SMMEs with opportunities to expand their businesses, particularly in rural and underserved regions. The initiative will also foster the growth of digital skills and innovation capacity, supporting South Africa’s broader transformation into a digitally inclusive economy.
Among the key focus areas are SMME empowerment and inclusion, infrastructure expansion, skills development, and support for content creation and cloud services. Through this collaboration, SMMEs will gain access to enterprise development programmes, improved infrastructure, and tailored mentorship opportunities. The partnership also prioritises advanced training in technologies such as fibre, cloud, and broadcasting, along with internship exchanges and educational resources to boost digital literacy in townships. Furthermore, SMMEs and local content creators will benefit from affordable hosting solutions, hybrid content delivery, and enhanced access to digital migration support, positioning them to thrive in the evolving digital economy.
Recognising that SMMEs are the backbone of South Africa’s economy—accounting for 91% of formal businesses, 34% of GDP, and 60% of total employment—this initiative seeks to remove barriers such as high infrastructure costs, limited access to funding, and regulatory challenges. Anton Jooste, Managing Director for Digital Services (South Africa) at SEACOM, stated that the collaboration lays the foundation for an inclusive digital nation. He noted that by combining SEACOM’s and SENTECH’s strengths, the partnership will directly address key challenges facing SMMEs, enabling broader participation in South Africa’s digital economy and ensuring that SMMEs remain central to the country’s growth and job creation agenda.
Since its inception in 2009, SEACOM has played a pivotal role in transforming Africa’s connectivity landscape through the launch of the continent’s first submarine cable on the east coast. This milestone lowered the cost of international bandwidth, fueling the rise of cloud services, fintech innovation, and digital entrepreneurship across the region. Today, SEACOM continues to drive digital transformation across Africa through high-capacity connectivity linking the continent to Europe and Asia. Together with SENTECH, SEACOM is reaffirming its commitment to digital inclusion, economic growth, and empowering the next generation of African innovators.
