Africa’s largest telecom operator, MTN Group, is in advanced talks with US and European firms to develop data centers across the continent to power artificial intelligence (AI) services.
The move is part of the company’s strategy to fill Africa’s massive AI infrastructure gap and unlock new revenue streams, according to CEO Ralph Mupita.
Mupita, who disclosed this in an interview with Bloomberg, said MTN will directly fund part of the investment for the AI data center build-out while working with global partners, including co-investors, AI infrastructure firms, and hyperscalers such as Microsoft.
The goal is to construct facilities, sign up tenants needing AI computing capacity, and rent out access to businesses and governments across Africa.
“We are now in the commercial negotiation phase and shortlisting partners who can help us scale. Our goal is to conclude these partnerships within the year,” Mupita told Bloomberg in the interview.
MTN said its AI data center unit, known as Genova, will play a key role in its broader plan to monetize infrastructure, open platforms to third parties, and drive new revenue growth.
Potential partners would follow MTN into the 16 African markets where it operates, particularly where demand for AI services is rising.
A major challenge, however, remains reliable electricity supply. Mupita noted that MTN is exploring all available options to secure efficient power sources for its planned data centers in markets with fragile energy infrastructure.
Despite having the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, Africa hosts less than 1% of global AI data center capacity.
Currently, South Africa accounts for most of the continent’s computing power, with hyperscalers like Microsoft, Alibaba, and Amazon providing cloud services.