Nigeria’s telecom regulator, along with industry operators, has called for immediate collaboration to enhance Africa’s artificial intelligence infrastructure, cautioning that the continent risks lagging in the AI-driven global economy without building local capacity. This appeal was made during a recent high-level virtual forum hosted by Africa Hyperscalers, which united regulators, telecom operators, cloud providers, and data-center leaders to discuss the critical infrastructure needed to compete in an increasingly AI-centric landscape.
The meeting focused on essential elements such as compute capacity, cloud infrastructure, high-speed connectivity, stable power, governance, and skilled talent, all of which are fundamental to supporting modern AI workloads. In his keynote address, themed “AI-Ready Africa: Building the Compute, Cloud, and Connectivity Foundations for the Next Digital Leap,” Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), underscored that AI has become as integral to competitiveness as traditional infrastructure like roads and power.
Dr. Maida highlighted that nations that lay down the right foundations will unlock “new productivity, new jobs, and new opportunities,” while those that fail to do so risk becoming mere consumers of innovations developed elsewhere. He pointed out Africa’s pressing gaps, including the compute divide, algorithmic divide, and data divide, reiterating the necessity for locally governed data and AI models tailored to African contexts.
The NCC has committed to enhancing connectivity, fostering open-access frameworks, and advancing cybersecurity measures. Despite having over 210 data centers, with nearly half located in four primary markets including Nigeria, the country currently has a total data-center capacity of only 56.1 MW, a number analysts believe must expand nearly fourfold by 2030 to meet rising digital demand.
Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, indicated that artificial intelligence is becoming more than just a theoretical concept within the telecom sector. He noted that companies have begun to implement AI in practical applications such as predictive maintenance, customer interaction improvements, and operational analytics. However, he cautioned that these advancements will not reach their full potential without closer collaboration among telecom companies. “Without coordination, Nigeria and Africa risk falling behind,” he said.
The forum featured a panel on “Building the Right Infrastructure for AI-Driven Telecom Networks,” moderated by Dr. Ayotunde Coker, CEO of Open Access Data Centres. Participants included notable figures such as Bukola Ajayi, General Manager of Architecture and Enterprise IT at MTN Nigeria, and Mike Salem, Group Head of AI at IHS Towers. Ajayi emphasized that countries with robust infrastructure are likely to lead in AI, asserting that energy and connectivity are vital enablers.
On the power supply issue, Wilson Eigbadon, Regional Account Manager at Vertiv, stated that Africa may soon need data centers to establish their own power supplies, referencing the development of new gas corridors and decentralized energy policies. Dr. Coker added that even advanced markets are exploring small nuclear reactors as demand for AI workloads increases.
Talent development emerged as a pivotal theme during discussions. Dotun Adeoye, co-founder of AI in Nigeria, remarked that with 63 percent of Nigerians under 25, early training for the next generation is critical. He called for structured AI clubs, partnerships between industry and universities, and practical training aligned with real-world infrastructure needs. “No matter how much we talk about infrastructure or data, we will need local talent to drive this,” he stated.
Collaboration was a recurrent theme among the speakers. Mike Salem emphasized that Africa’s progress relies on an ecosystem where infrastructure providers, carriers, hyperscalers, governments, and investors work together. Director Oladejo Olawumi from NITDA stressed the importance of data sovereignty, warning that “data is the currency on which AI runs,” and underscoring the need for Africa to maintain control over its strategic datasets.
The session provided a comprehensive view of Africa’s AI readiness, addressing the infrastructure gaps, investment needs, and policy frameworks essential for supporting AI at scale. The forum, backed by Vertiv and ATCON, indicated a growing alignment among government, operators, and technology leaders, emphasizing the necessity of building the continent’s AI foundation. Africa Hyperscalers continues to advocate for the collaboration needed to strengthen Africa’s digital backbone, focusing on data centers, cloud technology, connectivity, power systems, and AI infrastructure.
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