MTN to build 150MW AI data centres in Nigeria, SA, eyes banking licence
MTN Group announced on Tuesday, August 24, 2026, that it will develop AI-enabled data centres with an initial capacity of about 150 megawatts across Nigeria and South Africa through a venture with an undisclosed UAE-backed investor. MTN will be a minority investor, while the partner supplies most of the capital and technical expertise. The first phase targets Nigeria and South Africa, with expansion depending on demand for AI computing power.
The move builds on MTN’s broader digital infrastructure push. In July 2026, MTN Nigeria launched the Sifiso Dabengwa Data Centre in Lagos, described as West Africa’s largest Tier III facility with 9MW capacity and cloud infrastructure comparable to Amazon, Microsoft and Google. The new venture aims to close Africa’s data centre gap—currently only about 160 facilities, roughly 5.5% of the global total despite the continent’s large population.
AI demand in Africa is projected to rise from $4.5 billion in 2025 to $16.5 billion by 2030, driving need for local computing power. Meanwhile, MTN is also exploring banking licences in select markets to eventually lend from its own balance sheet.
With more local data centres, Nigerian businesses and developers could see lower latency and costs for AI applications, while MTN’s potential banking push may offer new credit options. How might improved data centre access and possible MTN lending affect your work, studies, or small business?