“In Europe, we’ve seen how far apart passing a home with fiber and connecting a paying customer can be. That persistent gap deserves as much attention as the build itself. For Africa, there is an opportunity to build coverage, services people want and sustainable operations together from the outset.”
Earlier this month, VX Fiber joined Africa’s digital infrastructure community in Johannesburg for Conext 2026. Hosted by Digital Council Africa, the event took place 7–8 October at The Forum, The Campus, Bryanston. It brought together operators, investors, policymakers and technology partners to discuss how to build the networks Africa needs next.
Our COO, Cristina David, joined the “Core to Edge” panel on the main stage. The discussion looked at how fiber networks are becoming the backbone for AI, and at what it takes to build and run those networks at scale across Africa.
AI puts new demands on every layer of the network. Data center's at the core need high-capacity, low-latency connectivity. That capacity then has to reach businesses, homes, and devices at the edge. Fiber is what connects the two, and the conversation made clear that the challenge is no longer just building the network.
Running fiber at scale is an operational challenge as much as a construction one. As networks grow across cities, regions and countries, operators need clear visibility of their infrastructure. They also need automated processes from order to activation and the flexibility to support new business models, such as open access and wholesale.
This is where VX Fiber works every day. Our OSS/BSS platform helps fiber network operators plan, sell, deliver, and manage their networks from one place, so they can grow without adding operational complexity.
Beyond the panel, Cristina and Chris Butler spent both days meeting operators, partners and industry peers. We are grateful to everyone who stopped by to talk about their networks, their plans and the challenges ahead. The energy around fiber in Africa is real, and so is the ambition to build networks that last.
A big thank you to Digital Council Africa for hosting a great event, to our fellow panelists for a sharp and honest discussion, and to everyone who took the time to meet us.
We are already looking forward to Conext 2027.
Building or scaling a fiber network in Africa? Get in touch with our team to see how VX Fiber can help you run it at scale
Please let me know what you think!