MTN Group Ltd., Africa’s largest mobile operator, is moving to establish itself as a leader in digital infrastructure by building a network of AI-ready data centres. The Johannesburg-based company confirmed that it is in advanced talks with US and European partners to roll out facilities across its 16 African markets.
CEO Ralph Mupita stated that MTN will co-finance the projects and expects to finalize commercial agreements before year-end. “We are shortlisting partners who can help us scale,” he said, underscoring the urgency of the initiative as demand for artificial intelligence and cloud services accelerates across the continent.
Nigeria Facility Leads the Way
MTN has already broken ground in Nigeria on a 9-megawatt data centre, valued at around $240 million. This project will serve as a flagship in its broader infrastructure strategy. Branded under MTN’s new platform Genova, the data centres will host compute tenants and lease capacity to businesses and governments. MTN also plans to integrate its own hardware in select facilities to strengthen offerings.
The Genova brand represents MTN’s push to capture the growing enterprise and government AI demand, providing resources for machine learning, data storage, and cloud computing in regions where capacity is scarce.
Africa’s Infrastructure Gap
Africa currently accounts for less than 1% of global AI data centre capacity, despite hosting one of the world’s fastest-growing populations and rapidly expanding digital economies. Most facilities are concentrated in South Africa, where major global players such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Alibaba already operate hyperscale centres.
Momentum is beginning to spread to other countries. Projects underway include Microsoft and G42’s geothermal-powered data centre in Kenya, and Airtel Africa’s planned expansion of Nigeria’s AI capacity through its Nxtra subsidiary.
MTN’s entry into this race reflects how telecoms are repositioning as data infrastructure providers, seeking to diversify revenues as mobile growth slows.
Genova’s Role in Africa’s AI Future
Through Genova, MTN aims to build a continental backbone for AI services, enabling African businesses and governments to access local compute power rather than relying solely on overseas servers. By scaling facilities across multiple markets, MTN could anchor an African AI ecosystem, driving investment, research, and new business opportunities.
If successful, the initiative will not only strengthen MTN’s revenue streams but also redefine the continent’s role in the global AI economy. With demand for compute capacity growing exponentially, MTN’s data centre strategy may prove to be one of the most transformative infrastructure plays in Africa’s digital era.
