Who will control Africa’s AI infrastructure, and at what cost? | Technology News
African Nations Grapple with AI Development and Sovereignty
Johannesburg, South Africa — In April, African Union ministers convened in Tangier, Morocco, to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) amid a growing urgency for governments across the continent to formulate AI strategies, attract investment, and enhance digital infrastructure.
Yet, beneath this optimism lies a critical question: How much control will African countries retain over the data centers, cloud services, and AI systems being implemented by foreign companies across the continent?
This conversation marks a significant shift in how policymakers approach AI. Historically, discussions centered on the adoption of AI technologies by governments, businesses, and public services. Increasingly, the focus has turned toward ownership, governance, and the conditions under which AI systems are developed and deployed.
Countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Ghana have released national AI strategies in recent years, emphasizing the importance of building local capacity and minimizing reliance on foreign technology providers. Ghana’s recent national strategy, launched in April, characterizes AI as a “sovereign capability.” In total, 49 countries, along with the African Union, have endorsed the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence, advocating for increased investment in AI infrastructure, talent, and innovation, along with coordinated financing mechanisms.
However, translating these ambitions into actionable policy has proven challenging. In South Africa, a draft national AI policy was withdrawn earlier this year after officials found unverifiable content that appeared to be generated by AI tools, illustrating the regulatory hurdles facing governments as they seek to oversee rapidly evolving technologies.
Global Competition and Local Leverage
As global competition over AI heats up, major technology companies, cloud providers, and governments vie for access to data, computing power, and expanding markets. This competition may afford African nations greater leverage in negotiations.
Priyal Singh, a geopolitical analyst at Signal Risk, noted that the fragmented nature of the global AI industry could strengthen African nations’ negotiating positions with foreign tech firms. He pointed to regulatory tensions surrounding the expansion of Starlink in parts of Africa as a case of governments becoming more assertive in their engagements with global technology companies.
“Major tech companies will need to bend to local concerns more often than they might expect,” Singh stated.
The Infrastructure Gap
While political leverage is significant, the underlying infrastructural needs remain pressing. Africa is markedly underrepresented in the global digital economy, accounting for less than 1% of global data center capacity despite housing roughly 18% of the world’s population. Research by McKinsey indicates that the five largest data center markets in Africa have a combined capacity less than that of France. Many regions continue to grapple with unreliable electricity supplies, further complicating expansion efforts.
These limitations have heightened sensitivities around negotiations concerning data centers and cloud infrastructure.
Kenya’s Controversial Data Center Project
Among the focal points is a proposed $1 billion data center project in Kenya, involving Microsoft and Emirati technology company G42. The initiative has attracted significant attention due to concerns raised by Kenyan President William Ruto regarding its substantial energy requirements, indicating that substantial additional power generation would be necessary.
Reports have suggested ongoing discussions about the project’s commercial arrangements and long-term commitments regarding computing capacity. Kenyan officials have reiterated that negotiations are still in progress. This situation highlights the trade-offs governments must navigate between attracting investments in AI infrastructure and addressing energy needs, financing costs, and long-term strategic dependencies.
Evaluating Partnerships
The question of who shapes Africa’s digital landscape extends beyond Western technology firms. Sanusha Naidu, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Global Dialogue, emphasized that debates about diversifying technology partnerships often involve complex considerations.
“Whether it’s from Western or Chinese firms, governments must evaluate the broader developmental impacts of these partnerships,” she said. Baidu remarked that previous waves of foreign investment illustrate that while investment may come in, local benefits often require significant subsidization.
Data Privacy and National Sovereignty
Concerns about dependence on foreign technology extend beyond infrastructure projects. Over the last decade, African governments have increasingly adopted various foreign-built digital systems ranging from cloud computing to surveillance technologies. Debates around data governance, digital sovereignty, and the secure storage and processing of sensitive information are gaining prominence across the continent.
Proponents of establishing an African Credit Rating Agency also seek to provide African-led assessments of sovereign creditworthiness, rather than relying solely on established international rating agencies.
The Importance of Public Engagement
Despite these critical discussions, much of the dialogue around AI governance remains confined to policymakers, regulators, and technology companies. Joseph Asunka, chief executive of Afrobarometer, cautioned that these negotiations need to involve broader public engagement.
“These negotiations should not just occur at the elite level,” Asunka stated. “A lack of public trust can hinder the adoption of fintech, e-commerce, and e-government services.”
With rising concerns about data protection and digital security, even as the general population’s understanding of AI remains limited, there is an urgent need for transparent and inclusive dialogue.
Looking Ahead
These debates resonate with historical questions of economic sovereignty that have shaped African politics for decades. Independence-era leaders asserted that political freedom is meaningless without control over economic resources. Today, similar inquiries are emerging around data, computing power, and digital infrastructure.
As governments and development agencies pursue investments, initiatives like the United Nations Development Programme’s Timbuktoo initiative aim to bolster local technology ecosystems. While such efforts may currently seem modest against the backdrop of global AI investment, they reflect a desire for African nations to participate not just as consumers, but as active contributors to AI development.
Africa is unlikely to achieve complete self-sufficiency in artificial intelligence—most countries do not seek that goal. The continent remains intricately tied to international technology supply chains, relying heavily on foreign investment and expertise.
The Crucial Question Ahead
The overarching question for policymakers now centers less on whether Africa will implement AI and more on the conditions under which it will do so. As governments negotiate investments, draft regulations, and build essential infrastructure, the choices made today could significantly influence who controls the technologies that will shape economies, public services, and daily lives in the future.
