MTN moves to build the digital backbone for Africa’s AI boom

Johannesburg – MTN Group is partnering with a UAE-based data centre investment platform to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence-ready digital infrastructure across Africa as demand for cloud computing, AI and data-intensive services grows.

MTN said on Thursday that its digital infrastructure business, MTN Digital Infrastructure, had entered into a strategic partnership that will initially focus on developing and scaling data centre opportunities in South Africa and Nigeria.

The partnership will operate through Africa Data Hub Holding Limited, a platform that will be used to develop and expand future digital infrastructure projects across key African markets.

MTN said the initiative forms part of its Ambition 2030 strategy and is aimed at addressing the continent’s growing need for locally hosted, resilient and scalable infrastructure to support cloud, enterprise and AI-enabled services.

“Africa’s digital economy is entering a new era, driven by rapid advances in artificial intelligence, cloud adoption and digital innovation,” said Mazen Mroué, CEO of MTN Group Digital Infrastructure.

Infrastructure platforms

“Realising this opportunity requires more than connectivity. It requires the infrastructure platforms that will power the next generation of digital services, businesses and innovation,” he said.

Mroué said the partnership would bring together investment, infrastructure expertise, connectivity and market access to support technology companies and other users of digital infrastructure.

“This partnership is a step forward in the execution of our digital infrastructure strategy and demonstrates the power of collaboration,” he said.

MTN said Bayobab, its digital connectivity business and a shareholder in the partnership, would provide open-access connectivity and go-to-market support through its pan-African network.

The company said this would enable customers to access digital infrastructure services across multiple African markets.

Strong underlying demand

The UAE-based investment platform was founded by Tarek Al Ashram, a data centre developer, operator and investor with experience in the Middle East.

Al Ashram said Africa was presenting an increasingly attractive opportunity as digital economies expand and demand for data centre capacity rises.

“Over the past years, we have seen firsthand how the development of world-class data centre infrastructure can support the rapid growth of cloud, digital services and AI across the Middle East,” he said.

“Africa now presents a similarly compelling opportunity, driven by strong underlying demand, rapidly expanding digital economies and an increasing need for resilient and scalable infrastructure,” Al Ashram said.

He said the partnership would allow the investment platform to apply its experience in developing and operating large-scale data centre infrastructure to African markets.

Data centre capacity

“Combining this experience with MTN’s extensive African footprint and deep understanding of its markets gives us a strong foundation from which to build and scale the platform across the continent,” Al Ashram said.

MTN said the partnership would strengthen its focus on open and scalable digital infrastructure while supporting innovation, economic inclusion and long-term economic growth.

The announcement comes as African countries seek to expand data centre capacity and local computing infrastructure to keep pace with rapid growth in cloud services and AI applications.

The company said the partnership would help strengthen Africa’s position in the global digital economy by providing infrastructure capable of supporting hyperscalers, cloud providers, enterprises and technology innovators.