IHS stake of U.S.-Nigerian telecom executive Sam Darwish tops $60 million

Key Points

• Sam Darwish’s IHS Towers stake has surged $7.75 million, reaching $64 million, fueled by renewed investor confidence and a 13.76% rise in shares.
• Darwish’s 3.9% stake in IHS Towers, totaling 12.9 million shares, reinforces his key role in Africa’s telecom infrastructure sector.
• IHS Towers, now the world’s third-largest independent telecom tower operator, strengthened its financial position with a $1.6 billion bond issuance.

Sam Darwish, the U.S.-Nigerian telecom executive and CEO of IHS Towers, has seen the value of his stake in the telecom infrastructure company surpass $60 million. This surge is largely due to a steady rise in IHS Holding’s share price on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), driven by renewed investor confidence.

Darwish’s IHS Towers stake rises $7.75 million

Darwish holds a 3.9-percent stake in IHS Towers—equivalent to 12,921,750 shares—cementing his position as a key figure in Africa’s telecom infrastructure sector. Over the past four weeks, the market value of his holdings has risen by $7.75 million, continuing a broader upward trend in 2025. 

This latest increase builds on earlier gains recorded between March 10 and April 9, when Darwish’s stake appreciated by $11.76 million, climbing from $44.45 million to $56.21 million. The continued momentum highlights both his growing wealth and his enduring influence in the African telecom space.

IHS Towers strengthens market position in 2025

IHS Towers, founded by Darwish in 2001, is now the world’s third-largest independent telecom tower operator, managing over 39,000 towers across Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

In 2025, the company ramped up its expansion efforts, adding 385 tenants, securing 1,566 lease amendments, and constructing 207 new towers, 136 of which are in Brazil. Despite ongoing market volatility, IHS Towers raised $1.6 billion through a dual-currency syndication and bond issuance, further strengthening its financial standing and positioning itself to navigate future challenges.

Darwish’s IHS stake now worth $64 million

Over the past month, IHS Towers’ shares have gained 13.76 percent, rising from $4.36 on April 8 to $4.96. That climb has lifted the company’s market value to over $1.65 billion, delivering a welcome boost to shareholders like Darwish. His stake is now worth $64.09 million, up by $7.75 million in just a few weeks.

The rally has been even more striking when you zoom out. Since the start of 2025, IHS Towers’ stock has surged nearly 70 percent. Someone who invested $100,000 at the beginning of the year would now be sitting on $169,860 — a gain of almost $70,000.