Safaricom has announced up to $500 million (about KES65 billion) investment to develop artificial intelligence infrastructure across East Africa over the next three years. The investment will target sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and financial services, with a focus on enabling local developers to build context-relevant solutions.

This move includes deploying AI-ready data centres, cloud platforms, and developer ecosystems to serve both startups and enterprises, marking a significant pivot from its traditional connectivity business to computational power.

Unveiled during the Connected Africa Summit 2025 in Diani, the announcement underscores the telco’s ambition to position Africa as a key player in the global AI landscape. “Africa has an opportunity to define its own AI destiny. We must move beyond being passive consumers of AI technologies… It will serve as a catalyst for intelligent digital solutions, drive innovation across key industries, and enhance the region’s overall economic performance,” said Cynthia Kropac, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Safaricom.

Safaricom has already upskilled 5,000 employees in AI fundamentals, recognizing that infrastructure alone is insufficient to drive transformation. The initiative arrives amid projections that Africa’s digital economy could grow to $712 billion by 2050. But without robust AI infrastructure, the continent risks remaining a tenant in digital systems shaped elsewhere. 

Critics also voiced concerns about the risk of the project becoming another siloed telco initiative. In response, Kropac emphasized Safaricom’s commitment to opening the ecosystem through partnerships with universities and regulators.

Adoption of AI is growing, with big multinationals such as OpenAI and Microsoft, among others, taking the lead. The technologies have allowed businesses as well as individuals to automate activities. “The question is not whether the world is ready,” Kropac noted. “The real question is: Are we ready to write Africa’s AI story?”

The Connected Africa Summit was organized by Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, in partnership with the ICT Authority.  The summit has attracted over 2,000 delegates from across the continent as it brings together leaders from government, business, academia, and development sectors to shape Africa’s digital future.

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