As the race to build Africa's digital infrastructure heats up, MTN Group's subsidiary, Bayobab, continues to speed up the pace by bringing in experienced expertise to help it preserve its dominance in the sector.
Bayobab announced yesterday that Niraj Shah has been appointed General Manager for Data Centres Programme, effective September 1, 2025.
Shah will report directly to Mazen Mroue, the CEO of MTN Digital Infrastructure.
This comes as MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita declared that Africa's largest telco is in talks with US and European companies to establish a network of data centres throughout the continent to facilitate local adoption of Artificial Intelligence.
The move is the latest in a series of initiatives by telcos aimed at democratising access to data centres and AI services for Africans.
The appointment also comes after MTN Digital Infrastructure (Bayobab) concluded new infrastructure transactions worth R148.2 million in the first half of this financial year and rolled out around 19 000km of fibre, bringing the group's overall fibre footprint to more than 127 000km.
Africa's renowned telco announced the appointment yesterday, stating that as a strategic MTN Group company, Bayobab is positioning itself as the leading provider of digital infrastructure in Africa, leveraging its connectivity, infrastructure, and fintech capabilities to drive digital transformation.
It went on to explain that the Data Centres Programme is crucial to this ambition, as it expands Bayobab's presence and establishes it as the go-to platform for hyperscalers, companies and governments looking for world-class colocation and cloud solutions.
Shah has over 15 years of expertise in data centres and digital infrastructure, having previously held leadership and founding positions at IXAfrica and iColo.
In a statement, Bayobab stated that his expertise includes strategic growth, business development, partnerships, and ecosystem building to promote scalable and sustainable infrastructure across the continent.
He has had a significant impact on Kenya's data centre business, leading large-scale interactions with hyperscalers, cloud, and content providers.
He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from California State University, Turlock.
Bayobab welcomed Shah to the leadership team, adding his extensive industry knowledge and collaborative approach will be critical in moving its strategic goals ahead.
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