MTN Group is preparing to usher in a new era by investing heavily in large-scale data centres dedicated to artificial intelligence.
CEO Ralph Mupita revealed that the company is in advanced negotiations with major global technology firms from the United States and Europe to establish these state-of-the-art facilities. The initiative aims to address Africa’s substantial AI infrastructure gap, which currently accounts for less than 1% of the world’s capacity, by creating facilities capable of hosting high-powered computing resources to serve governments, businesses, and enterprises across the continent.
Rather than undertaking this massive infrastructure development alone, MTN plans to share the investment burden through partnerships with international technology leaders. The core strategy involves building the data centres, equipping them with advanced AI processing capabilities, and leasing that capacity to clients ranging from government agencies to private sector firms and third-party providers across Africa. This approach is both ambitious and strategic, positioning MTN as a key player in the continent’s AI ecosystem.
Beyond technological advancement, the move signifies a strategic effort by MTN to unlock new revenue streams. Through its newly established AI data centre unit, Genova, the company aims to monetize its infrastructure, foster partnerships, and catalyse long-term growth. This initiative underscores MTN’s broader vision of transforming its network assets into a vital digital infrastructure hub, fuelling innovation and economic development across Africa.
