To bridge this knowledge gap, Africa Hyperscalers recently convened a high-level media workshop in Lagos, bringing together journalists and infrastructure heavyweights like Rack Centre, Open Access Data Centres (OADC), and the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).

The objective: to move the narrative from “internet access” to “infrastructure economics,” especially as Nigeria prepares for an AI-driven industrial shift.

Infrastructure as the ‘New Roads’

Digital infrastructure is no longer a luxury; it is the new “essential utility.” Temitope Osunrinde, executive director of Africa Hyperscalers, noted that subsea cables and data centres are now as critical to national development as roads and ports.

“If Africa is to shape credible narratives that attract long-term investment, the media must understand how these systems work and what it takes to deliver them,” Osunrinde emphasized.

The ‘Last Mile’ Reality: From Subsea to the Street

One of the workshop’s core tracks, led by Adebola Adefarati of Rack Centre and Gbenga Adegbiji of Geniserve, deconstructed the journey of a single byte of data:

The Landing: International bandwidth arriving at subsea cable stations.

The Middle Mile: Metropolitan fibre networks and the engineering hurdles of city-wide deployment.

The Edge: Carrier-neutral data centres that provide the “compute” power for local fintechs and streaming platforms.

The Pillars of the Infrastructure Economy

Reducing Latency: The Battle for Local Traffic

Muhammed Rudman, CEO of IXPN, highlighted a critical “blind spot”: the importance of localising internet traffic. By keeping Nigerian data within Nigerian borders through local peering, the industry can significantly reduce latency (lag) and lower the cost of internet for end-users. This “Digital Sovereignty” is essential for the effective deployment of AI and real-time fintech applications.

Journalism in the Age of AI

The workshop concluded with a session led by Toni Kan of The Media Training Room, on the ethical use of AI in newsrooms.

The workshop concluded with a panel on “The Media’s Powerful Role in Enabling Digital Infrastructure Development in Nigeria, featuring Tayo Fagbule, Bureau Chief, West Africa CNBC; Obinna Adumike, head, Converged Infrastructure, Open Access Data Centres (OADC); Muhammed Rudman, CEO, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, and Temitope Osunrinde.

The consensus was clear: while AI can automate reporting, technically informed journalism is required to track infrastructure projects, explain complex financing models, and hold operators accountable.

Confirmed to speak at the session are Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON); Dr. Ayobami Oladejo, Managing Director of Digipractice; Dr. Ayotunde Coker, Chief Executive Officer of Open Access Data Centres; Hamish White, Chief Executive Officer of Mobilise; Teniola Stuffman, Chief Executive Officer of Lebara Nigeria; Olusola Teniola, Director of Strategic Business Initiatives at ipNX; and Satya Mekala, Chief Executive Officer of Wireless Technology Labs (WTL).

MVNO Nigeria 2025 is designed as a platform for candid, solution-driven dialogue around Nigeria’s evolving telecoms landscape – particularly the opportunities and challenges of introducing MVNOs to deepen market competition, extend digital inclusion, and drive new service innovation.

As global and local leaders share case studies, regulatory perspectives, and commercial models, the session will explore how MVNOs can thrive within Nigeria’s existing infrastructure realities, while offering differentiated services to underserved populations.

“This is not just a policy forum – it’s a catalyst,” said one of the organizers. “We expect clear recommendations, renewed partnerships, and actionable pathways that help unlock the full potential of MVNOs in Nigeria.”

The event will feature keynote presentations, a panel discussion, and interactive exchanges that bring together the voice of government, industry, and innovation.

It is expected to shape how MVNOs position for sustainable growth and long-term value creation in one of Africa’s most dynamic telecom markets.

The event will also offer ample networking opportunities for stakeholders to forge partnerships, align on policy directions, and learn from pioneers in the global MVNO ecosystem.

To register, click here.

MVNO Nigeria 2025 is part of a broader effort by the Africa Hyperscalers to accelerate telecom reform and investment in Nigeria’s digital economy, aligning stakeholders to move beyond theory and into coordinated execution.

In his market brief presentation, Guy Zibi, managing partner of Xalam Analytics, highlighted how Africa’s digital economy, valued at approximately $150 billion (less than 5% of continent’s GDP), is powered by an extensive network of cell towers, fiber connections, and data centers.

This infrastructure is essential for transforming productivity, industrial processes, and fostering economic growth.

Over the past five years, the continent’s digital infrastructure has improved considerably, with broadband connections nearly doubling, reaching 700-800 million.

The length of terrestrial fiber is also growing, nearing 1.5 to 2 million kilometers, complemented by submarine cables and expanding public cloud regions.

Africa’s international bandwidth capacity has also surged, outpacing regions like Asia and Latin America, while fiber networks expand and new data centers continue to emerge.

Approximately 40 new data centers are expected to be built between 2022 and 2030, further accelerating the continent’s digital transformation.

However, experts caution that without continued investment and innovation, Africa may struggle to reach its full potential in the digital landscape.

Zibi emphasized the critical need to further scale digital infrastructure. Currently, only 35% of Africa’s 1.4 billion people have meaningful broadband access, with 20-30% still unconnected and 40% unable to afford it.

This gap in accessibility creates a significant challenge to fostering widespread digital inclusion. Increasing broadband penetration to 60-70% over the next five years is essential for Africa to boost its global competitiveness.

This will require further investment in towers, fiber, and overall infrastructure, as Africa’s digital economy currently represents a smaller share of GDP compared to other regions, where the digital economy can exceed 10%, with outliers like Brazil surpassing 20%.

To achieve these goals, Zibi emphasized the importance of three key factors:

AI, capital expenditure (CapEx), and return on investment (ROI). AI presents a massive opportunity for the continent, with the potential to revolutionize various sectors in the next five years.

However, experts urged Africa to focus on leveraging AI in practical applications, rather than investing heavily in costly large language models (LLM) training. Initiatives such as DeepSeek AI, which promote open-source technologies, could provide more cost-effective solutions tailored to Africa’s needs.

AI infrastructure requires significant investment, and hundreds of billions of dollars are being poured into global AI efforts. Collaboration between public and private sectors is essential to secure the funding needed for AI and cloud infrastructure expansion across Africa. Investment in power and data centers will also play a key role in supporting this growth.

To ensure the long-term success of infrastructure projects, it is crucial to focus on reducing delivery costs while maintaining affordable services for users. Innovations in financing models could attract further investment, driving both profitability and sustainable development.

The event featured notable speakers from across the industry, including ABIBAT KAZEEM, Commercial Lead at Bayobab; Ayotunde (Tunde) Coker, CEO of Open Access Data Centres (OADC); Guy Zibi, Founder/Managing Partner at Xalam Analytics; Johnson Agogbua, CEO of Kasi Cloud Data Centres; and many more experts in the field.

Their insights underscored the importance of continued investment in Africa’s digital infrastructure to unlock the continent’s full potential and compete effectively on the global stage.

The Digital Infrastructure Outlook, an annual event hosted by Africa Hyperscalers, brings together industry leaders, experts, and stakeholders to discuss Africa’s evolving digital infrastructure.

It explores key trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the continent’s digital future, including the surge in data center services demand, growing cloud adoption, and expanding connectivity.

The event serves as a platform for sharing insights, fostering collaboration, and addressing the foundational drivers of digital infrastructure growth across Africa.