On 26 April, during their conference held in Tangier, Morocco, African leaders expressed the need for expanding data centers Africa since countries have been trying to gain more control over AI infrastructures rather than depending heavily on foreign companies.
As AI influences economies worldwide, African governments are no longer debating whether to adopt the technology. Instead, they are deciding who should own the infrastructure behind it.
The discussion has shifted from simply using AI to ensuring Africa has enough control over its data, computing power and digital services to avoid becoming dependent on foreign technology companies.
Africa’s AI Depends on Infrastructure Owners
AI took center stage when African Union ministers met in Tangier earlier this year. While countries continue attracting investment and developing national AI plans, many leaders argued that digital sovereignty will shape the continent’s long-term technological future.
The debate now centers on a difficult question: Can Africa avoid a new form of digital colonialism without investing in its own infrastructure, or would focus on domestic systems slow innovation by distancing the continent from global technology leaders?
Many governments believe the answer is balance rather than isolation.
In Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Ghana, governments have rolled out plans for developing AI that aim at creating expertise locally rather than being too dependent on foreign technology companies. Ghana has its plan whereby AI is referred to as sovereign capability.
49 countries in Africa have adopted Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence.
“Digital public infrastructure is as vital today as electricity,” said Mozambique’s Minister of Communications and Digital Transformation, Américo Muchanga, speaking during the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Conference of Ministers.
Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, Ambassador Philip Thigo, also stressed the importance of developing AI systems that reflect African needs, believing that “Africa must prioritize local data processing and systems that reflect its realities.”
AI models that are mostly trained on Western data have had difficulties dealing with the languages used in Africa, prompting more demands for robust Local AI infrastructure. Their proponents believe that such investments are imperative to promote Africa digital sovereignty despite the high costs involved.
Balancing Digital Sovereignty with Global Innovation
While governments increasingly support data centers Africa, analysts warn that complete technological independence is neither realistic nor beneficial. Priyal Singh, a geopolitical analyst at Signal Risk, believes growing competition between global technology companies gives African governments more negotiating power.
“African states will indeed be provided with greater room for manoeuvre on AI and data infrastructure, precisely due to how contested and fragmented this industry is amongst global leaders,” Singh told Al Jazeera.
Still, the infrastructure gap remains significant. Africa accounts for less than 1% of global data center capacity despite being home to nearly 18% of the world’s population. Expanding data centers Africa has therefore become a strategic priority as governments seek to keep more digital value within the continent.
A proposed $1 billion data center project involving Microsoft and UAE-based G42 in Kenya highlights both the opportunities and challenges. The project promises greater computing power but also requires major investments in energy and Cloud infrastructure Africa.
Industry leaders argue the continent must act quickly, as “Africa needs to increase its data centre capacity tenfold,” said Adil El Youssefi, CEO of Africa Data Centres at Cassava Technologies.
Regional AI factories and shared data embassies have also been proposed as part of a broader African AI strategy, allowing countries to process and store data locally while reducing costs through regional cooperation.
However, experts say infrastructure alone will not guarantee success. Sanusha Naidu, senior research fellow at the Institute for Global Dialogue, said governments must carefully assess every foreign partnership.
“Whether it’s a US company, a company from Europe, or a Chinese company,” she said, policymakers should evaluate the wider economic benefits rather than investment alone.
At the same time, many analysts caution that pursuing Africa digital sovereignty should not mean disconnecting from global innovation. Africa will continue relying on international partnerships while building stronger domestic capabilities in artificial intelligence Africa.
“These negotiations should not just be conducted at the elite level and dumped on citizens, said Joseph Asunka, chief executive of Afrobarometer. “If citizens do not trust their government’s actions in this space, it creates a trust gap, which could have negative implications for the adoption of fintech, e-commerce and e-government tools.”
Ultimately, the goal is not to separate Africa from the global AI economy but to ensure data centers Africa support a future where artificial intelligence Africa is not controlled by foreign technology providers.
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