MTN Group has established a new entity, Africa Data Hub Holding Limited, to accelerate the rollout of artificial intelligence (AI)-ready data centre platforms across the continent.
The vehicle follows a strategic partnership between MTN digital Infrastructure and a United Arab Emirates-backed data centre investment platform founded by investor Tarek Al Ashram.
South Africa and Nigeria have been selected as the priority markets for initial deployment, combining MTN’s continental footprint with international investment backing and operational data centre expertise.
“Africa’s digital economy is entering a new era driven by rapid advances in AI, cloud adoption, and digital innovation,” said Mazen Mroué, chief executive officer of MTN Group Digital Infrastructure. “Realising this opportunity requires more than connectivity — it requires the infrastructure platforms that will power the next generation of digital services, businesses, and innovation.”
Bayobab, MTN’s pan-African digital connectivity business and a shareholder in the venture, will supply open-access fibre connectivity and go-to-market support for the new hub.
The joint initiative aims to meet escalating enterprise demand for cloud, local hosting, and AI workloads across African commercial hubs.
“Over the past years, we have seen first-hand how the development of world-class data centre infrastructure can support the rapid growth of cloud and AI across the Middle East,” said Al Ashram. “Africa presents a similarly compelling opportunity, driven by strong underlying demand and an increasing need for resilient, scalable infrastructure.”
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