Africa has inaugurated its first Artificial Intelligence (AI) data center, a landmark project that aims to repatriate African data from foreign servers, strengthen data sovereignty, and position the continent as a global hub for digital innovation.
The facility, spearheaded by Synectics Technologies in partnership with Schneider Electric, Nvidia, and Turner & Townsend, is being developed in Uganda at a cost of UGX 4.56 trillion ($1.2 billion). It will operate on 100 megawatts of renewable energy and feature a modular design that allows for future expansion.
According to Synectics Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Oladele Oyekunle, the three-year project will begin rollout by mid-2026 and is designed to serve as the backbone of Africa’s AI-driven research and innovation ecosystem.
“Science is precise whether in Kenya, Uganda, or China. For Africa, this is our time — not just to consume technology, but to define our own digital future,” Oyekunle said during the launch.
Building a Digital City for Africa’s Future
Spanning over 80 acres, the facility will include an AI Center of Excellence under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model to ensure African ownership and capacity building. The center will train local engineers, researchers, and students to manage and innovate within the infrastructure, reducing dependence on foreign expertise.
Oyekunle said the project’s four main objectives are to manage and process data, support research and development, serve as an advisory hub, and empower local talent.
“This initiative will help Africa become a net exporter of digital skills within five years,” he noted.
The data center will provide local infrastructure for sectors such as medicine, agriculture, climate science, and fintech, allowing researchers to process sensitive data within Africa instead of relying on foreign servers.
Strengthening Data Sovereignty and Security
Africa currently accounts for less than 1% of global data center capacity, despite having a population of 1.4 billion people, according to the Africa Data Centres Association. Most of the continent’s data is still hosted abroad, raising concerns about privacy, security, and regulatory compliance.
Oyekunle said the facility would help African nations comply with emerging data protection laws — at least 30 countries, including Kenya and Nigeria, have enacted regulations mandating local data processing.
“Technology should be inclusive. This facility ensures African data stays on African soil,” Oyekunle said.
Turner & Townsend’s Head of Real Estate in Africa, Wendy Cerutti, emphasized that the project will meet international standards while aligning with net-zero sustainability goals.
“This project shows that we can deliver world-class facilities here, with predictability, clarity, and impact,” she said.
Powering Africa’s AI Economy
The data center will feature multiple fiber routes, redundant transformers, and advanced automation to ensure high reliability. Schneider Electric East Africa Country President Ifeanyi Odoh said this kind of large-scale infrastructure is exactly what global tech players have been waiting for.
“It’s not that we don’t have data. The basic infrastructure — fiber, power, redundancy — has not been available at scale. This project changes that,” Odoh said.
Analysts project that AI could add up to $1.5 trillion to Africa’s GDP by 2030, and the new data center is seen as a foundational step toward achieving that potential.
A Watershed Moment for the Continent
Experts are calling the project a watershed moment in Africa’s digital transformation — one that not only builds infrastructure but also trust, compliance, and capacity.
By anchoring data sovereignty, advancing renewable-powered AI infrastructure, and embedding local training, Uganda’s new AI data center symbolizes Africa’s growing determination to lead its own digital revolution.
“This isn’t just a data center,” Oyekunle said. “It’s a declaration that Africa will be a producer — not just a consumer — in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
