Digital ecosystem moves to physical infrastructure. Satellite connectivity reaches near-universal access. Africa's richest man doubles down on energy independence. | Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Three stories define infrastructure expansion today.
The modern Black Wall Street movement, founded in 2015 as a digital platform connecting Black entrepreneurs across the diaspora, announced plans to open a physical hub in Houston—marking its transition from online community to permanent brick-and-mortar presence.
In Senegal, Orange (Sonatel) launched the country’s first satellite internet services, achieving near-universal coverage at 99% by combining satellite, fiber, 4G, and 5G networks.
And Dangote Petroleum Refinery, already the world’s largest single-train refinery at 650,000 barrels per day, announced plans to double capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028, positioning Nigeria for energy independence.
The modern Black Wall Street movement announced plans to open a physical hub in Houston, marking the organization’s transition from a decade-long digital presence into permanent brick-and-mortar infrastructure.
Founded in 2015 by Martel Matthews (COO), Frank Perkins II (CEO), and Marcus Bowers, Black Wall Street was built on collaboration over competition.
Drawing inspiration from Greenwood, Oklahoma—the thriving Black economic hub destroyed in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre—the founders envisioned a digital ecosystem where Black business owners could share resources and scale as commerce moved online.
