MTN Sets Ambitious Plans for AI Data Centre Expansion in Africa
CEO Ralph Mupita outlines a strategic push targeting 150MW capacity in key African markets.
The Full Story
MTN Group has unveiled its ambitious plans to establish a network of AI data centres across Africa, targeting an initial capacity of 150MW. During a media roundtable, CEO Ralph Mupita outlined that the first phase of this project will take place in South Africa and Nigeria, as the telecom giant seeks to leverage the growing demand for digital infrastructure in the region. This venture is part of MTN’s commitment to enhancing its offerings in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
The announcement follows a strategic partnership established with a UAE-backed data centre investment platform, aimed at expediting the development of AI-ready infrastructures tailored for the African market. MTN will hold a minority stake in this initiative, aligning with its capital-light approach to investment as the group seeks to expand without significantly increasing its debt levels. In a recently released results booklet for the six-month period ending June 30, 2026, MTN confirmed that it had entered this strategic collaboration to leverage third-party expertise in building out the necessary facilities.
Mupita emphasized the importance of this project, correlating it with a rising demand for cloud services and enterprise solutions across the continent. He noted that Africa is expected to see a growth rate of 1.6 times in its enterprise market by 2030, underscoring the necessity for robust data infrastructure to support such expansion. The approach comes against a backdrop of significant operational costs associated with energy, prompting a focus on enhancing energy efficiency across its existing network using AI technologies.
Cape Town is being considered as a pilot location for optimising power consumption through AI. In addressing the data centre strategy, Mupita highlighted the need for a collaborative model that integrates various AI frameworks rather than favouring a singular solution. This aims at developing a versatile system adaptable to various operational scenarios. Alongside these advancements, MTN also intends to extend its growth in Africa's tower infrastructure, emphasising its transformation into AI inference grids.
Mupita shared insights into how MTN aims to modify these assets for increased operational efficiency, targeting the shifts in market demands that come with digital transformation. The successful implementation of these data centres will not only broaden MTN's service offerings but will also significantly contribute to the continent's growing digital economy at multiple levels. As MTN advances its Ambition 2030 strategy, centred on partnerships and innovation, it remains well-positioned to tackle the challenges and opportunities in the fast-paced digital landscape, aligning its objectives with shifting consumer and business needs in our tech-driven era. Stakeholders across the industry will closely monitor forthcoming developments in the AI data centre space, as evolving consumer behaviours reshape the landscape of cloud, data, and enterprise solutions across Africa, making MTN's strategic direction of vital interest to investors and partners.
Why It Matters
MTN's initiative to create AI data centres showcases a strategic shift in digital infrastructure, responding to heightened demand for cloud and enterprise services across Africa. This expansion is pivotal for enhancing connectivity and improving service delivery amid growing competition in the telecom sector.
What's Next
As MTN embarks on this data centre expansion, stakeholders can expect further announcements on partnerships, capacity builds, and operational strategies in the upcoming months, providing insights into how the rollout unfolds.