MTN Digital Infrastructure has entered into a strategic partnership with a UAE-based data centre investment platform, founded by Tarek Al Ashram, an experienced data centre developer, operator and investor, to accelerate the development of AI-ready digital infrastructure platforms across Africa.

The new partnership will help address growing demand for cloud, enterprise, digital and AI-enabled services across Africa by combining MTN Digital Infrastructure's extensive African footprint, market knowledge and infrastructure assets with specialist investment, development and operating expertise in the data centre sector.

The partners will pursue the strategic partnership through Africa Data Hub, which will serve as the platform through which future digital infrastructure opportunities will be developed and scaled across key African markets, with an initial focus on South Africa and Nigeria.

MTN's digital connectivity business and a shareholder in the partnership Bayobab will provide open access connectivity and go-to-market support through its extensive pan-African network.

As AI reshapes industries, economies and societies at an unprecedented speed and demand for cloud computing, AI workloads and data-intensive digital services accelerates, access to resilient, scalable and locally-hosted digital infrastructure will become increasingly critical to Africa's competitiveness and economic growth.

“Africa's digital economy is entering a new era, driven by rapid advances in AI, cloud adoption and digital innovation. Realising this opportunity requires more than connectivity. It requires the infrastructure platforms that will power the next generation of digital services, businesses and innovation,” said MTN Group Digital Infrastructure CEO Mazen Mroué.

He explained that the partnership is a step forward in the execution of the company’s digital infrastructure strategy and demonstrates the power of collaboration, which will bring investment, infrastructure expertise, connectivity and market access into a single platform capable of supporting hyperscalers, cloud providers, enterprises and technology innovators across Africa.

“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. 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,” added Al Ashram.

“We see significant potential to bring our experience in developing and operating large-scale data centre platforms to African markets, and Africa Data Hub provides the right platform through which to invest in and help shape that growth. 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.”