MTN Group has announced plans to enter Africa’s artificial intelligence market by establishing AI-enabled data centres with an initial capacity of 150 megawatts (MW) across Nigeria and South Africa.
The move aims to capitalize on Africa’s AI market, which is projected to surge from $4.5 billion in 2025 to $16.5 billion by 2030, driven by rising demand for high-performance computing infrastructure.
MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita outlined the strategy on Tuesday, highlighting growth opportunities beyond the company’s core telecommunications business. As part of this diversification, Mupita also revealed plans to secure banking licenses in select markets, enabling MTN to lend directly to customers from its balance sheet.
The data centre development will be executed through Africa Data Hub Holding, a joint venture between MTN and an undisclosed, UAE-backed investor with deep experience in Gulf data centre infrastructure. Under the agreement, MTN will act as a minority investor, while its Middle Eastern partner will provide the majority of the capital and technical expertise.
“The initial phase is expected to provide about 150MW of capacity across Nigeria and South Africa, with further expansion depending on computing demand,” Mupita said.
While the initial rollout targets MTN’s two primary markets, the venture is structured to expand into other African nations as demand for AI computing accelerates across the continent.