For many South Africans, a reliable internet connection or affordable smartphone is a gateway to employment, education, entrepreneurship and essential services. As the world becomes increasingly digital, access to technology has become synonymous with access to opportunity.
Yet despite growing digital adoption, more than one in five South Africans remain offline, cutting them off from economic progress. Closing this gap is central to DNI’s investment strategy.
Through a R2.1 billion commitment across connectivity, digital services and fintech, the DNI Group is partnering with businesses that help people participate more fully in the digital economy. These investments span Frogfoot, Vox, Hypa, Mission Mobile and KnowRoaming, bringing together complementary capabilities that expand connectivity, advance financial inclusion and enhance digital experiences.
Collectively, these investments represent an important new chapter for DNI, creating a stronger ecosystem of founder-led businesses that will help advance the Group’s ambition to enable more people to benefit from an increasingly digital world.
“Bringing that vision to life takes talented South Africans who build companies with purpose,” comments Ryan Noach, Group CEO of DNI. “That’s why we work alongside founders who have identified genuine societal needs and built successful businesses to address them.”
Backing businesses that solve real-world challenges
Across the country, DNI backs organisations that are driving access, improving affordability and creating pathways for more people to participate in modern economic life.
Frogfoot, in partnership with internet service provider Vox, is helping connect 360,000 homes in lower-income, historically underserved communities each year, while supporting the creation of more than 5,000 jobs. DNI’s investment will help the fibre network operator accelerate rollout across these areas, opening doors to education, employment, financial services and entrepreneurship.
At the same time, Mission Mobile is a mobile technology company that is making it easier for South Africans to access quality smartphones and connectivity packages. With DNI’s backing, it is forging a practical and scalable route into the digital economy for people who have traditionally been excluded.
The investment in KnowRoaming extends the Group’s vision beyond South Africa’s borders. By combining DNI’s existing distribution footprint with leading eSIM capabilities and global connectivity services, the partnership will help people and businesses stay connected reliably across more than 200 countries.
Building together for greater impact
Today, DNI operates in more than 40 countries and generates annual revenue exceeding R12 billion, giving its partners access to the scale, expertise and relationships needed to extend their impact. True to the Group’s approach, the new businesses in its portfolio will remain founder-led, retaining the vision and leadership that has made them successful.
“There is enormous potential in what we can build together. By sharing knowledge, combining capabilities and opening doors for one another, we can achieve far more than any business could on its own,” says Noach. “When mission, people, strategy and economics align, we pay attention. That’s exactly what we saw in these businesses, and why we’re so motivated by the opportunity to create meaningful impact together in the years ahead.”