Africa’s largest telecommunications operator, MTN Group, has announced a significant step for the continent’s digital future as it accelerates its push into advanced digital solutions.
Through its digital infrastructure division, MTN is investing in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities by participating in a US$45 million Series A funding round for ORAN Development Company (ODC), a US-based start-up developing AI-native Radio Access Network (RAN) technology.
Other investors in the round include NVIDIA, Cisco, Nokia, AT&T, Booz Allen Hamilton and Telecom Italia.
The round also includes participation from Phoenix Venture Partners, following an earlier seed investment by affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management.
MTN said the funding will accelerate ODC’s ambition to transform traditional cell towers into edge AI compute hubs, enabling faster data processing, real-time insights, and more advanced digital services.
The investment comes amid growing calls for Africa to define its role in the global AI landscape—either as a passive consumer of imported technologies or as an active architect of its own digital future.
According to MTN, ODC’s AI-RAN platform is built on NVIDIA’s Aerial AI stack, designed to support high-performance, software-defined 5G networks.
In a joint statement, the companies said the collaboration will fast-track the rollout of an AI-native, open-architecture platform that integrates communication, sensing, and edge intelligence into a unified system.
ODC is already working with leading global customers and expects to expand commercial deployments through 2026.
The company described its vision as a “Distributed Compute Grid” that underpins both digital and physical infrastructure.
By integrating NVIDIA’s Aerial platform, ODC aims to move beyond traditional connectivity and enable AI-driven capabilities at the network edge.
“This infrastructure serves as the foundation for the AI-native era, transforming cell sites into high-performance compute hubs capable of supporting applications ranging from real-time generative AI to critical national infrastructure systems,” the statement said.
For MTN, the investment marks a strategic move toward next-generation networks that could reshape African markets.
"For Africa, AI-RAN represents a leapfrog opportunity to deliver world-class intelligence from our largest cities to our most remote rural villages,” said Mazen Mroue, CEO of MTN Digital Infrastructure.
“By partnering with ODC, we are taking a leadership role in enabling advanced, precision-driven digital solutions across industry landscape in Africa. This isn't just about connectivity.
It's about building the distributed AI compute foundation required to accelerate financial inclusion, industrial autonomy, and local innovation, serving as a true force-for-good and supporting the development of Sovereign AI across the continent."
“The industry is moving toward software-defined, AI-native telecom networks, which will be essential for the Physical AI era,” said Ronnie Vasishta, senior vice president of telecom at NVIDIA.
He noted that ODC’s AI-RAN technology could transform 5G networks into distributed AI computing platforms at the edge, while also laying the groundwork for future 6G innovation.
“As AI-driven decision-making shifts closer to the edge, mobile networks are becoming central to the digital economy,” said Masum Mir, senior vice president and general manager at Cisco Provider Mobility.
He added that AI-RAN has the potential to drive a major infrastructure shift, enabling more secure, simplified, and scalable platforms capable of supporting advanced AI workloads.
Pallavi Mahajan, chief technology and AI officer at Nokia, said AI is fundamentally reshaping network architecture and placing new demands on infrastructure.
“That shift requires more software-driven platforms, intelligence at the edge, and continuous innovation,” Mahajan said. “ODC’s approach reflects where the industry is heading—toward AI-ready, software-defined RAN platforms that will support both 5G and 6G networks.”
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