Safaricom has partnered with iXAfrica Data Centre to introduce East Africa’s first AI-ready data centre services tailored for enterprise and cloud solutions clients.
This collaboration aims to provide scalable, cost-effective infrastructure for data storage, backup, and computing — crucial for businesses and government agencies embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI).
This initiative marks a significant milestone in Kenya’s digital transformation journey by enabling local processing of AI-intensive workloads. The partnership also features a joint go-to-market strategy and the rollout of dedicated enterprise and cloud suites, starting at 350kW and scaling beyond 1MW. Additionally, integrated connectivity solutions will leverage both companies’ strengths to serve businesses across East Africa.
Designed specifically to meet the high-density processing, cooling, and resilience needs of modern AI applications, this architecture will allow enterprises to deploy advanced workloads and AI technologies locally, supporting data sovereignty, compliance, and reduced latency.
The comprehensive enterprise solution includes colocation (2U+), connectivity, cloud and managed services, and cybersecurity, all under the Safaricom brand.
The iXAfrica NBOX1 Nairobi Campus, with a design capacity of 22.5MW, is the largest data centre project in East Africa. Situated along key fibre optic routes and powered by reliable, low-carbon energy sources, it serves a population of over 300 million people and provides vital infrastructure for regional digital growth.
“As East Africa’s digital economy continues to expand rapidly, businesses need robust, scalable, and secure infrastructure to support the next wave of innovation, including AI workloads,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom. “Through this partnership with iXAfrica, we are enhancing our enterprise offerings with world-class data centre services that meet global standards while promoting sustainable digital development — aligning with our vision to be Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company by 2030.”
“By combining our purpose-built, AI-ready infrastructure with Safaricom’s strong market presence and customer relationships, we are creating a digital ecosystem that will accelerate innovation and regional growth,” said Guy Willner, Chairman of iXAfrica.
