Safaricom has announced a $500 million investment over the next three years to develop artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure across East Africa—a bold step that signals a shift from its traditional role as a telecom provider to a leader in computational technology. The investment will fund the rollout of AI-ready data centers, cloud platforms, and a developer ecosystem designed to support both startups and enterprises.

The announcement was made at the Connected Africa Summit 2025, held at the Diamonds Leisure Beach & Golf Resort in Diani. The initiative highlights Safaricom’s ambition to position Africa as a serious contender in the global AI landscape.

“Africa has an opportunity to define its own AI destiny,” said Cynthia Kropac, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at Safaricom. “We must move beyond being passive consumers of AI technologies.”

The $500 million initiative will focus on key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and financial services, with a strong emphasis on empowering local developers to create solutions tailored to African contexts. As part of its preparation, Safaricom has already trained 5,000 employees in foundational AI skills, acknowledging that infrastructure alone won’t drive meaningful transformation.

The investment comes at a critical moment, as projections suggest Africa’s digital economy could grow to $712 billion by 2050. However, without homegrown AI infrastructure, the continent risks being sidelined in a technology revolution taking shape elsewhere.

“The question is not whether the world is ready,” Kropac added. “The real question is: Are we ready to write Africa’s AI story?”
Safaricom is not alone. Cassava Technologies has also announced a $720m investment to establish Africa’s first AI factory, which will be developed in collaboration with Nvidia. The company plans to roll out Nvidia’s accelerated computing and AI software across several African countries, including South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya and Morocco.