Who will manage AI infrastructure in Africa, and at what cost? | | Technology News

Johannesburg, South Africa – In April, African Union ministers gathered in Tangier, Morocco, to discuss artificial intelligence at a time when governments across the region are scrambling to develop AI solutions, attract investment and expand digital infrastructure.

However, there is a very important question on their minds. As foreign technology companies invest in data centers, cloud services and AI systems across Africa, what influence will African countries have on the infrastructure that these technologies rely on?

The debate marks a major shift in how policymakers think about AI. For many years, discussions have focused on adoption: how governments, businesses and public services can use technology. Increasingly, attention is turning to ownership, governance and where AI systems are designed and deployed.

Several governments have implemented the issue in this way. Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and Ghana have all rolled out AI initiatives in recent years that highlight the need to build local capacity and reduce reliance on foreign technology providers. Ghana’s national strategy, launched in April, describes AI as an “independent force”. Forty-nine countries, together with the African Union, have approved the African Declaration on Artificial Intelligence, which calls for more investment in African AI infrastructure, technology and innovation, along with proposals for funding mechanisms.

At the same time, translating passion into policy has not always been easy. In South Africa, a national AI policy was scrapped earlier this year after authorities discovered evidence that could not be verified and appeared to be created by AI tools, highlighting the challenges governments face in managing rapidly advancing technologies.

Global competition, global opportunity

These discussions are taking place as the global race for AI intensifies. Big tech companies, cloud providers and governments are competing for data, computing power and new markets. For African countries, the competition may also create opportunities for dialogue.

Priyal Singh, a geopolitical analyst at Signal Risk, told Al Jazeera that the fragmentation of the AI ​​industry around the world would encourage this.

“African countries have been given the opportunity to improve on AI and data tools, precisely because of the competition and the fragmentation of these industries among world leaders,” he said.

He also cited the controversy surrounding the expansion of Starlink in other parts of Africa as an example of governments becoming more aggressive in dealing with international companies.

“Big tech companies have to deal with local concerns more often than they expect,” Singh said.

Differences in construction

However, innovation in the AI ​​era is not limited to politics. It is also a construction.

Africa is still the least developed digital economy in the world. Industry estimates show that the continent accounts for less than 1 percent of the world’s data traffic, despite being home to nearly 18 percent of the world’s population. A McKinsey study found that the five largest data markets in Africa combined have less power than France. In many parts of the continent, unreliable electricity remains an obstacle to growth.

Those limitations help explain why discussions on data center and cloud infrastructure have become so difficult.

Kenya’s data center competition

One of the most closely watched projects has been the proposed $1bn data center project involving Microsoft and Emirati technology company G42 in Kenya.

The project drew attention after Kenyan President William Ruto outlined the size of the proposed power plant, warning that the massive infrastructure would need to produce more electricity.

Reports have also shown discussions on commercial planning and the long-term commitment associated with computing power. Kenyan officials have said that discussions about the project are still ongoing.

Whatever the outcome, this session shows how business governments are faced with it: attracting investment in AI infrastructure and measuring energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness and long-term reliability.

What countries gain is what they leave behind

The question of who builds Africa’s digital future continues beyond Western tech companies.

Sanusha Naidu, a senior researcher at the Institute for Global Dialogue, told Al Jazeera that debates about diversity are often more complicated than they appear.

“Whether it looks like it’s breaking away from Western technology companies or moving to Chinese companies, I think it’s often part of the profit,” he said.

For governments, he argued, the main issue is what is returned through the agreement.

“Whether it’s a US company, a European company, or a Chinese company,” he said, policymakers need to assess the impact of such investments on development.

He compared the current AI debate to past waves of foreign investment.

“What we saw in the 1990s around the textile industry is the money that comes in, but there is a lot of money that the host country receives. It’s a data center, it’s very difficult. It’s how water consumers treat this place, and how it affects economic issues in African countries.”

Data, monitoring and control

Reliability concerns extend beyond the data center.

Over the past decade, African governments have adopted a growing number of outsourced digital solutions, from cloud computing platforms and digital public services to monitoring and smart city technologies. At the same time, debates about data management, digital sovereignty and where private information should be stored and processed have become more prominent across the continent.

Similar arguments have been made by proponents of plans to establish an African Credit Rating Agency, designed to provide an African-led assessment of its creditworthiness rather than relying on established international agencies.

People in need

Yet many discussions about the governance of AI remain among policymakers, regulators and technology companies.

Joseph Asunka, head of Afrobarometer, told Al Jazeera that the conflict is still far from everyday citizens.

“These discussions should not be held in an elite group and thrown at the citizens,” he said. “If citizens do not trust what their government is doing in this area, it creates a trust gap, which can have a negative impact on the implementation of fintech tools, e-commerce and e-government.”

He added that concerns about data security and digital security are already widespread across Africa, although AI itself is not well known.

Beyond trust

The debate echoes the old questions of economic governance that have shaped African politics for decades. The leaders of the independence era argued that political freedom meant little without economic control. Today, similar questions are emerging around data, computing power and digital infrastructure.

Along with large investments, governments and development agencies are also exploring ways to generate energy in the community. Projects such as the United Nations Development Program aim to strengthen Africa’s technology ecosystem by supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and digital infrastructure.

Such efforts remain small compared to the growth of global AI investment. But it shows a greater effort to ensure that African countries participate not only as buyers of AI systems, but also as contributors to their development.

Africa is unlikely to be able to rely on artificial intelligence, and the goal of many governments. The continent is still very much connected to the world’s technology supply chain and will continue to rely on international investment, expertise and cooperation.

The question that remains

The question facing policymakers is less whether Africa will use AI than whether it should. As governments negotiate new businesses, develop laws and build digital infrastructure, the decisions made now will shape who controls the technologies that have the greatest impact on the economy, public services and everyday life.

“These discussions should not be held in an elite group and lose the citizens,” Afrobarometer’s Asunka said.

“If citizens do not trust what their government is doing in this area, it creates a trust gap, which can have a negative impact on the implementation of fintech tools, e-commerce and e-government.”