Documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission show that IHS shareholders will vote on the proposed deal at an extraordinary general meeting in London later this year. 

If approved, MTN will acquire all remaining shares in IHS for $8.50 per share in cash and remove the company from the New York Stock Exchange.

The offer values IHS at an implied equity value of about $2.9 billion, excluding its Latin American operations. The price also represents a 9.7% premium to the company’s 30-day volume-weighted average share price as of February 4, 2026.

MTN plans to fund the transaction with about $1.1 billion from IHS’s existing balance sheet and another $1.1 billion from its own liquidity and debt facilities.

The deal already has support from shareholders controlling more than 40% of voting rights. MTN’s subsidiary, Mobile Telephone Networks Holdings, agreed to vote its 85.2 million shares in favour of the transaction. Those shares account for roughly 21.1% of IHS voting power.

Another major investor, Oranje-Nassau Développement, linked to French investment group Wendel, also committed its support. The firm controls about 63 million shares, representing nearly 19.6% of voting rights.

MTN investor documents indicate that shareholders representing around 46% of voting power are already aligned behind the transaction ahead of the meeting.

IHS’s board has also endorsed the acquisition. “The board unanimously authorised and approved the execution, delivery and performance of the merger agreement,” the company said in the filing.

Once completed, the transaction will end IHS’s run as a publicly traded company, just five years after its New York listing in 2021. The company had positioned itself as an independent infrastructure provider serving several mobile operators across Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

Still, MTN has been one of its biggest customers and shareholders for years.

The acquisition will also give MTN direct ownership of a large part of the infrastructure supporting its mobile operations across Africa. IHS operates about 28,700 towers across its markets, including roughly 15,942 towers in Nigeria, where it holds an estimated 41 per cent market share.

MTN operates in all of IHS’s African markets, including Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Zambia.

Telecom operators across Africa have moved to take greater control of critical infrastructure as inflation, currency pressure and network costs squeeze margins.

In 2024, Airtel launched Airtel Africa Fibre to manage its 70,000-kilometre fibre network directly. Safaricom followed in 2025 by taking control of power systems at its telecom sites and deploying its own solar infrastructure instead of relying fully on tower-management contractors.

The IHS deal is expected to reduce dependence on third-party tower companies for MTN, while improving network management and foreign exchange risk control across key markets.

The filing also showed that employee stock awards under IHS’s incentive plans will be converted into cash payments based on the $8.50 offer price if the transaction goes through.

The merger still requires approval from at least two-thirds of votes cast at the shareholder meeting before it can proceed.

Documents filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on February 18 show that MTN will maintain pay and core benefits for IHS employees for one year after the merger takes effect.

IHS had 2,864 employees worldwide as of December 31, 2024. Many of them work in Nigeria, where both companies play major roles in telecoms infrastructure.

Under the agreement, MTN must keep compensation and benefits at levels no less favourable than those in place before the deal closes. The protection period is described in Section 6.7 of the Agreement and Plan of Merger as a 12-month “Continuation Period”.

During that time, base salaries or hourly wages will remain in place. Short-term cash incentives must stay comparable. Health, retirement and welfare benefits must also stay similar in overall value. Defined benefit pensions and some local post-employment benefits are excluded.

MTN has also agreed to honour existing IHS severance terms. Any employee who loses their job during the protection period will receive severance benefits no less favourable than those already provided under IHS policies.

The company will recognise prior years of service for benefit eligibility, vesting and holiday accrual. Staff will not see their tenure reset after the merger.

Equity awards will be handled in cash. Vested stock options and restricted stock units are expected to be cancelled and converted into cash payments based on the merger price.

Unvested awards may be converted into cash-based retention incentives that continue to vest on their original schedules.

The acquisition is structured as an all-cash transaction at $8.50 per share. That represents a 239% premium to IHS’s share price at the start of its 2024 strategic review and a 36% premium to its 52-week average.

The deal excludes IHS’s Latin American assets. It focuses on Africa, the Middle East and selected emerging markets.

Funding will come from $1.1 billion in cash already on IHS’s balance sheet and another $1.1 billion from MTN’s liquidity and debt capacity.

IHS owns and manages about 39,000 telecom towers across Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Nigeria is its largest market.

If completed, the transaction will bring those towers under closer control of MTN. The company will rely less on third-party tower operators and will also gain stronger management over passive mobile infrastructure across its footprint.

Reports say this could help MTN cut operating expenses, improve network reliability and speed up 5G rollout in key African markets. It also places MTN in a stronger position against competitors such as Airtel Africa and Orange.

Regulators in Nigeria and other countries are expected to examine the deal as towers are critical national infrastructure. Labour authorities are also likely to monitor how the 12-month pay and benefits guarantee is carried out, especially in markets where both firms employ large workforces.

The offer provides immediate cash at a premium for IHS Towers shareholders and secures long-term control of essential infrastructure for MTN, which underpins its network operations.

The high-level session brought together senior executives, regulators, and investors from 15 countries across and beyond Africa.

During the Data Center Panel themed “Data Center and Cloud in Africa: The Journey to 2,500 MW,” industry experts, including Guy Zibi, Managing Partner at Xalam Analytics; Johnson Agogbua, Chief Executive Officer of Kasi Cloud Data Centers; Roger Shutte, General Manager, Infrastructure & Cloud Engineering at MTN Nigeria; Snehar Shah, Chief Executive Officer of IX Africa Data Centres; and Karim Amer, Head of IP Business for North, West, and Central Africa at Nokia, shared insights on Africa’s evolving data infrastructure landscape.

Amer from Nokia said North Africa is leading a new wave of investment. “By 2030, Egypt will account for about 25 percent of Africa’s total data center capacity, Morocco 15 percent, and Nigeria around 9 percent,” he said. “The balance of growth will depend on energy reliability, cross-border regulation, and policy openness.”

Zibi of Xalam Analytics, said the global AI race has redefined Africa’s opportunity map.

“If Africa captures even half a percent of global data-center power demand by 2030, that’s at least one gigawatt of new capacity,” he said. “The question is: who will finance, regulate, and staff it?”

Shah of IX Africa Data Centres, said regional frameworks will be key.

“We need East African data-sharing frameworks so neighbouring countries can use Kenya’s infrastructure,” he said. “Otherwise, capacity will remain isolated while demand elsewhere grows.”

Panelists agreed that AI, cloud, and fintech workloads are accelerating faster than infrastructure can keep up.  “The learning journey has shortened dramatically since November 2022 – what used to take 18 months to build as a minimum viable product now takes me an evening” said Roger Shutte, General Manager, Infrastructure & Cloud Engineering at MTN Nigeria. “The real challenge now is deployment — the infrastructure must be ready to keep up with that speed.”

The Hyperscalers Convergence Africa was convened by Africa Hyperscalers and supported by Nokia, Open Access Data Centres (OADC), IHS Towers, Vertiv, Equinix, and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

But IHS Nigeria’s latest Impact Report 2023–2024, launched in Lagos on Thursday, September 25, 2025, cut through the cynicism, revealing actual impact, not corporate lip service.

The company has spent N5.4 billion across 160 projects, touching every state and local government in the country.

At the launch, attended by government officials, development partners, and industry leaders, IHS Nigeria placed its measurable footprint on the table: digital skills for over 108,000 Nigerians, internet access for 956 schools, 9 oxygen plants across states, 4,000 trees planted, and over 20,000 residents given clean water through solar boreholes in Borno.

The event was the first time IHS publicly launched an impact report, and the CEO Mohamad Darwish said this was deliberate. “This evening is not just to talk about IHS or present a report but rather it is about telling a story of giving back,” he said. 

“Our stakeholders in IHS cannot just be shareholders, customers, suppliers, and employees. The communities we operate in have to be at the front and centre of our stakeholders list. We have a duty to create better conditions for people and communities to thrive today and for generations to come.”

Darwish recalled how the company’s visible support for the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative prompted other corporates to follow suit. “Because IHS was first to support FG’s 3MTT initiative and it was publicised, other companies within and outside the sector jumped on the wagon,” he noted.

The IHS Nigeria Impact Report 2023–2024 is anchored on IHS Towers’ four sustainability pillars—ethics and governance, environment and climate change, education and economic growth, and people and communities—while aligning with nine of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Impact in Numbers

Dapo Otunla, senior vice president for Sustainability and chief corporate services officer, at IHS Nigeria reeled off commendable figures:

• N5.4 billion invested in 2023–2024 alone.
• 160 projects implemented nationwide, with a total spend of N11 billion since 2020.
• 956 schools connected to the internet.
• 1.7 million learners reached through the Nigerian Learning Passport.
• 20,000 beneficiaries of solar-powered boreholes in Borno, helping flood-displaced families return home.
• 201 hydrocele surgeries and treatment for over 1 million people with neglected tropical diseases.
• Over 14,000 children immunised, 13,800 girls empowered through digital education, and 205 young female innovators upskilled.
• 239 pints of blood donated by staff.
• Nearly 24,000 residents benefiting from solar streetlights across eight states.

“This report, and more importantly the stories that are inside, really gives a lot of pride and joy to IHS, to me personally, and every staff at IHS, for what we have achieved in terms of giving back to the communities that we operate,” Darwish said in a post-event interview.

Partners Speak

Government and partners present testified to IHS Nigeria’s unique approach. Dr Dapo Ademola Adesina, special adviser for Technical and Vocational Education in Osun State, commended the corporate culture: “I see IHS as touching lives, touching communities. This is very remarkable. If we can duplicate this all around the country, it’s been good, because technical and vocational education is big now—it’s the next big thing.”

Celine Lafoucriere, chief of UNICEF’s Southwest Nigeria Office, called IHS a “unique private sector partner”:

“IHS Towers has been working with us in many fields, including health, access to water and sanitation, and young people’s transition from learning to earning. IHS very much shares our ethical values and the drive to make sure that those communities can not only survive but thrive in Nigeria.”

She, however, flagged climate education as the next frontier: “There is no Planet B. To educate the youth of today to acquire green skills for greener jobs… is extremely important. The whole orientation that IHS Towers is giving to its sustainability work is perfectly aligned with the one we have.”

Internal Perspective

For staff, sustainability is not a side project. Ayotade Oyinlola, chief HR Officer of IHS Towers, stressed: “What we do in terms of giving back is about impact, not publicity. Wherever we have our towers—and that’s 16,000 towers strong—we should give something meaningful to the community in which we operate.”

Employees, he explained, propose initiatives from their communities which are then vetted, funded, and scaled: “We look at how sustainable these initiatives will be in the long run. And we go for it.”

The impact report frames IHS Nigeria not just as an infrastructure company but as a social investor. Dapo Otunla, further stated, “We believe in the power of the community and in empowering our people to help them unlock their full potential. Our interventions cut across the six geopolitical regions in Nigeria.”

Darwish, closing his address, reframed what success should mean in Nigeria’s corporate spaces:

“The report we unveil today is a testament to what is possible when a business redefines success not just by profit margins, but by the positive impact it creates.”

The cocktail session ended with a collage of images: schoolchildren holding tablets, women drawing water from solar boreholes, frontline workers in scholarships, and oxygen plants saving lives. 

A visual reminder that in a country where corporate social responsibility usually stops at branded T-shirts and photo ops, IHS Nigeria has gone deeper, into oxygen, clean water, digital futures, and hope.

The company is prioritising core operations in Nigeria, South Africa, and Brazil, while exiting less profitable markets through major asset sales.

The group spent $89.9 million on new tower projects in H1, a 15.8% drop from the $106.8 million invested a year earlier. The slowdown was felt across both quarters: Q1 capital expenditure fell 17.8% to $43.6 million, and Q2 slipped 13.8% to $46.3 million. 

Cuts were most pronounced in Latin America, where new site builds and fibre rollouts were scaled back, while Nigeria saw investment fall by 5.5% in Q1 and 10.4% in Q2 due to reduced maintenance, fibre deployment, and site upgrades.

This reallocation is closely tied to a deliberate reshaping of IHS’s portfolio. In December 2024, the company sold 1,672 towers in Kuwait, and in May 2025 it announced the $274.5 million sale of its Rwanda operations—including 1,465 sites—to Paradigm Tower Ventures at a valuation multiple of 8.3x adjusted EBITDA, well above the group’s average. 

These divestments are intended to streamline operations and focus on markets offering long-term tenancy agreements and stronger co-location potential.

Debt reduction has become a clear priority. Proceeds from disposals have been channelled into paying down high-interest loans in Nigeria and Brazil, cutting the net leverage ratio from 3.9x in 2024 to 3.4x in Q1 2025. Full-year capex guidance has also been revised down to $240–$270 million from $260–$290 million. 

Nigeria’s “Project Green,” launched in 2022 to cut diesel dependence through solar deployment, battery storage integration, and improved grid connectivity, has reduced upgrade requirements and is projected to generate $77 million in annual free cash flow savings by year-end.

However, the biggest operational pressure has come from tenant churn in Nigeria. MTN Nigeria, the company’s largest client, renewed 13,500 tenancies through to 2032 but opted not to extend 1,050 sites, awarding those to American Tower Corporation. 

This resulted in a net loss of 420 tenants in Q1 and 688 by Q2 on a year-on-year basis. Despite the setback, IHS Towers maintained a colocation rate of 1.52x in Nigeria—on par with emerging market norms—and has sought to backfill churned sites with other customers.

MTN’s decision shows a push to diversify its infrastructure partners and manage cost and operational risk. Its contracts with both IHS and ATC include clauses linking pricing to inflation and diesel costs, alongside mixed naira-dollar payment structures to mitigate currency volatility.

Financially, the company’s performance has been resilient. H1 revenue reached $872.9 million, with Q1 rising 5.2% year-on-year to $439.6 million on the back of 25.6% organic growth, while Q2 slipped marginally by 0.5% to $433.3 million but still beat market expectations. 

Adjusted EBITDA stood at $252.6 million in Q1 and $248.5 million in Q2, while net income rose to $30.7 million and $32.3 million, reversing losses recorded last year. Operating cash flow jumped 68.1% to $254.8 million.

Commenting on the results, Sam Darwish, CEO of IHS Towers, said: “Our improved outlook reflects what we believe are the benefits of the solid commercial progress we have made as well as our strong focus on financial discipline, which is delivering sustained improvements in our profitability and cash flow generation.”

IHS expects 5G rollouts to drive further lease amendments, new site demand, and higher colocation rates across Africa. 

With the naira recording only a 0.3% devaluation in Q2, management is optimistic that foreign exchange conditions will support its full-year revenue guidance. The challenge for H2 will be balancing reduced investment with maintaining growth momentum in its largest and most competitive markets.

The disruption stems from an escalating conflict between two oil workers’ unions and a major telecom infrastructure provider.

Members of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) have blocked access to key diesel loading depots. 

This is preventing fuel distribution to telecom sites operated by IHS Towers, one of the largest providers of telecommunications infrastructure in the country.

At the heart of the dispute is an allegation of diesel misappropriation levelled by IHS against two companies affiliated with NOGASA. The issue is under investigation, yet in response, union members have halted diesel supply operations in the affected states, effectively putting a critical portion of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure at risk.

Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), did not downplay the seriousness of the situation. 

In his words: “This action, reportedly stemming from allegations by IHS of diesel misappropriation against 2 member companies of NOGASA and which is being investigated by the requisite authorities, has resulted in a critical threat to the operation of some of the 16,000 telecommunications sites nationwide, servicing Mobile Network Operators.”

The telecom base stations under threat are responsible for powering mobile phone and internet services, bank transaction networks, hospital communication systems, emergency response lines, and vital national security platforms.

A failure at this scale would compromise not only public access to connectivity but also the digital backbone of Nigeria’s economy and security architecture.

It’s important to note that Nigeria’s telecom infrastructure relies heavily on diesel-powered generators, as grid electricity remains unreliable and insufficient. Some affected sites are reportedly now operating on backup reserves with little time left before complete outages begin.

ALTON stressed that while it does not mediate disputes between private companies and third-party service providers, it has a duty to protect national infrastructure.

“These sites not only power mobile and internet services for millions of Nigerians, but also support essential services such as banking transactions, hospital communications, emergency response systems, and national security operations,” Adebayo stated.

More than just a commercial conflict, the issue now carries national security and legal implications. ALTON reminded the unions and all involved parties that telecommunications assets have been designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure under Nigerian law, a classification that makes any deliberate disruption a potential offence with serious consequences.

Calling for speedy intervention, ALTON urged the leadership of NUPENG and NOGASA to reverse the blockade and allow fuel distribution to resume. The association also appealed to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and other authorities to step in immediately.

“We urge all parties involved to embrace constructive dialogue to resolve the matter, without further disruption to essential services. Disputes must be resolved within the framework of lawful contracts and applicable legal processes,” Adebayo added.

As we face the real possibility of a digital blackout, experts warn that any delay in restoring fuel supply could result in cascading failures across multiple sectors. 

ALTON has reiterated its focus on keeping Nigerians connected but warned that continued interference with diesel access will derail network stability and increase the economic challenges already felt across the country.

As investor interest grew, the company’s stock price surged by 9.7%, closing at $5.70, driven by the recovery of Nigeria’s leading telecom operators, MTN and Airtel, from recent challenges.

IHS has seen its stock climb over 51% since the start of the year, outpacing both the S&P 500 and the tech sector. 

From $4.00 per share in January, it hit $5.94 by early May, its highest point since September 2023. Investors are responding to more than market positivity. The business is getting its fundamentals right.

In Q4 2024, IHS exceeded analyst expectations with revenue reaching $437.8 million and earnings per share landing at $0.73. These profits were supported by two key decisions: cost control measures and the renewal of major lease agreements with MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria, its key clients. 

Together, the two telcos contributed 57% of IHS’s total revenue in 2024, with Nigeria alone accounting for 58.3% of the company’s entire earnings.

These numbers matter. They explain why long-term investors are eyeing IHS Towers more seriously. In 2024, the company secured 72% of its revenue under long-term contracts. 

That sort of predictability is rare in emerging markets and makes IHS less exposed to the type of volatility that often derails infrastructure investments.

One big win was the renewal of IHS’s Master Lease Agreements with MTN Group until December 2032. These deals introduced pricing models that account for Nigeria’s currency fluctuations and unpredictable energy costs, two issues that previously damaged profit margins. 

Add to that a similar agreement with Airtel in February 2024, and the picture starts to change: IHS now has a decade of secured earnings from its biggest customers.

Yet, these profits have not come without risk. Power generation alone swallowed 39.2% of IHS’s cost of sales in 2024. To tackle this, the firm has turned to hybrid energy setups, combining diesel, solar, and battery power, to manage costs. It’s a necessary adjustment in a country where grid reliability can’t be guaranteed.

CEO Sam Darwish also played a role in swaying investor sentiment. In the past month, he increased his stake in the company by $7.75 million. His holdings grew from $56.21 million to $64 million by early May, a 13.76% jump in value that directly shows confidence in IHS’s trajectory.

“In Nigeria, the NCC’s tariff increase is a positive development for mobile network operators that is expected to unlock investment in communications infrastructure,” IHS said in a statement. 

That investment is already taking shape, with plans to build 500 new towers in 2025. Many of these will support 5G expansion, especially in underserved regions of Nigeria where connectivity remains patchy.

Still, the risks are not buried. IHS Towers remains vulnerable to sabotage, site vandalism, and unauthorised shutdowns. “As a TowerCo, we continue to face operational challenges, such as those related to site security, sabotage, illegitimate shutdown of sites, and exposure to currency fluctuations, but we are committed to delivering for our customers,” the company stated. 

These threats, combined with current governance issues between IHS and MTN, remind investors that the business environment remains complex.

But the fundamentals are changing in IHS’s favour. Telecom operators are prioritising network efficiency over capital-heavy expansion. 

A tower-sharing agreement between MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa, signed in March 2025, is expected to deepen IHS’s market role, allowing it to increase utilisation rates without needing massive upfront investment.

Ultimately, what we’re witnessing is not limited to a stock reacting to quarterly numbers, but a company slowly strengthening its place in Africa’s digital growth, one long-term lease, one hybrid-powered tower, and one traded share at a time.

The company’s latest earnings report for 2024 reveals aggressive strategic moves, including long-term lease extensions and a transition in its debt structure to counter market challenges.

In Q4, revenue reached $437.8 million, a 4.2% increase compared to the previous quarter, driven by growth in colocation, lease amendments, and new sites. However, year-on-year revenue decreased by 14.1%, although it surged by 39.3% on an organic basis. 

This organic growth was led by a 9.2% constant currency increase, alongside foreign exchange resets and power indexation, which mitigated a 53.1% non-core decline.   

IHS closed the year with 39,229 towers and 59,343 tenants, showing steady growth in colocation and lease amendments. The company renewed all MTN tower contracts and extended its agreement with Airtel Nigeria, securing 72% of its total revenue under long-term deals. 

Despite a 48.1% surge in organic revenue, overall earnings took a hit due to the Nigerian naira’s 57% devaluation. This currency collapse wiped out an estimated $1.4 billion in revenue value, pushing IHS’s total reported revenue down 19.5% to $1.7 billion. 

The company reported a $1.6 billion net loss for 2024, with part of that tied to unrealized forex losses. However, IHS’s current strategies reveal a focus on long-term stability.

In a bid to reduce exposure to currency risk, IHS raised $1.2 billion through dual-tranche senior notes, using the proceeds to extend debt maturities and convert more liabilities into local currency. It also slashed capital expenditure by 56.3%, prioritizing profitability over expansion.

IHS Towers also focused on reducing risk in its operating model, by restructuring its power management strategy. The company introduced power indexation into its MTN Nigeria contracts and unbundled power services in South Africa. These changes aim to stabilize earnings by reducing exposure to energy price fluctuations.

Commenting on the financial statement, Sam Darwish, IHS Towers Chairman and CEO, said, “We’re reporting a strong performance in the fourth quarter, with our key metrics revenue, Adjusted EBITDA, and ALFCF all ahead of our guidance… We believe we are well placed to leverage our market-leading positions and support growing demand for our critical communications infrastructure.”

In order to enhance shareholder value, IHS Towers completed the disposal of its 70% interest in IHS Kuwait Limited for $230 million.   

The company foresees organic revenue growth of 12% in 2025, banking on increased 5G deployment and higher carrier tariffs in Nigeria to drive profitability.

Nigeria remains both the company’s biggest opportunity and its biggest risk. IHS managed to extract $271 million from the country despite forex restrictions, asserting its financial resilience. 

However, even the most skilled graduates still find themselves endlessly job hunting. Lagos, the supposed land of opportunities, is overcrowded, and the dream of building a successful startup in Nigeria sometimes feels like chasing shadows.

But what if the next big thing in African tech wasn’t from Lagos or Abuja—but from Ilorin?

Well, the Ilorin Innovation Hub, a 13,000-square-metre tech centre is coming to change the story. Driven by the Kwara State Government in partnership with IHS Nigeria, this facility is not another government project that looks good on paper—it’s designed to create 10,000 jobs, incubate startups, and provide young innovators with the tools they need to build global businesses.

With the commencement of incubation and acceleration programs announced on Thursday, 27 February 2025, the hub has been described as the largest of its kind in West Africa, with a 3,000-square-metre indoor workspace capable of accommodating over 1,000 concurrent users. 

For a state that has long been overshadowed by bigger commercial hubs, we hear the message—Ilorin is getting ready to compete globally.

With innovators like CcHub and Future Africa appointed to lead incubation initiatives, and the government slashing internet costs to attract digital businesses, Kwara State seems serious about becoming a tech giant.

So, could the next Nigerian unicorn be born in Ilorin? If this hub fulfils its promises, the answer might just be yes.

“Why Not a Tech Unicorn from Ilorin?” – IHS Nigeria CEO Challenges Innovators

In his address, Mohamad Darwish, CEO of IHS Nigeria, explained the technological growth and economic opportunities the hub will bring:

“This hub represents a bold step towards fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation, not only in Kwara State but across Nigeria as a whole,” Darwish stated.

He noted IHS Nigeria’s focus on digital infrastructure development, stressing that the hub is not just an edifice, but an ecosystem designed to promote creativity, train young innovators with skills, and provide access to funding and mentorship.

“Unicorns are emerging globally, so the question to ask is ‘Why not from Ilorin, Kwara State?’” Darwish stressed.

With a vision to generate over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs across sectors such as digital skills, agricultural technology, and energy innovation, Darwish affirmed IHS Nigeria’s goal to empower young entrepreneurs to build globally scalable solutions.

Government Endorsement: “The World Will Soon Hear of Kwara State”

Representing the Kwara State Government, Dr Mary Ayinde, commissioner for Tertiary Education, spoke on the prospects of the Ilorin Innovation Hub.

“This is another giant stride of His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Kwara State is going places, and the world will soon hear of Kwara State,” she said.

The state government had slashed the cost of right-of-way fees for fibre optic installations, reducing limitations for internet service providers (ISPs) and making connectivity more affordable for residents. 

As a result, Kwara now has a low-cost, high-speed internet infrastructure, making it attractive for businesses and technology-driven enterprises.

Ayinde stressed the importance of connectivity in driving economic development, adding that the state is committed to ensuring that the hub serves as a launchpad for the next generation of Nigerian innovators.

Future Africa and CcHub to Lead Implementation of High-Impact Initiatives

IHS Nigeria has partnered with two renowned programme managers—Co-Creation Hub (CcHub) and Future Africa—to implement incubation and accelerator programmes designed to groom startups, businesses, and young innovators.

Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, co-founder of Andela and Flutterwave and founding partner at Future Africa, described the hub as the “seed of a new generation of billion-dollar businesses.”

“I recruited Kwara State as my top recruiting ground for Andela, a company that builds and deploys talent all over the world,” Aboyeji noted.

He affirmed that the Ilorin Innovation Hub would help in creating sustainable infrastructure, with a focus on agriculture, energy, and digital connectivity.

“We are here to work with entrepreneurs to build globally scalable businesses. The billion-dollar businesses of the future will move up from here,” he added.

Stephanie Okpere, design lead at CcHub, reaffirmed the organisation’s focus on supporting the hub’s research and entrepreneurship initiatives.

“In the last 15 years, CcHub has worked with over 50,000 startups, and we have the expertise to drive innovation at this hub,” she said.

She outlined plans for mentorship, talent development, and partnerships with universities, ensuring that the hub will serve as a pipeline for young innovators into the global tech space.

Ensuring Technological Advancement and Sustainable Infrastructure

The Ilorin Innovation Hub is being built with cutting-edge infrastructure designed to support innovation at a high scale. Features include:

• 13,000-square-metre campus with a 3,000-square-metre indoor work and event space
• Capacity for over 1,000 concurrent users
• Dedicated co-working spaces, conference halls, and an IHS Lounge
• High-speed connectivity for seamless digital collaboration

With a focus on sustainability, the hub will be powered by a solar energy system comprising 681 units of 5-kilowatt solar panels, generating approximately 584 megawatts of energy—enough to power 200 three-bedroom flats.

Added to these, the facility will include 600 kilowatt-hours of battery energy storage, ensuring an uninterrupted power supply. This solar-powered system is projected to save over ₦2 billion in energy costs over time.

The hub’s cooling system, featuring 96 DS cooling units, will be solar-powered, with the capacity to sustain up to eight four-bedroom flats, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Recognising the challenge of infrastructure maintenance in Nigeria, the project team has developed a solid facility management strategy to ensure the hub remains in pristine condition for years to come.

Measures will include:

• Regular audits and assessments
• Comprehensive cleaning and equipment servicing
• Long-term sustainability planning

The official commissioning of the Ilorin Innovation Hub is scheduled to take place later this year.

This pivotal event aims to address the digital infrastructure gaps across the continent by uniting key stakeholders—including operators, regulators, investors, and service providers—to work toward a unified goal for Africa’s digital future.

The conference seeks to bring together Africa’s digital infrastructure community, fostering collaboration and innovation across sectors such as data centres, connectivity, cloud services, and more.

Confirmed attendees include senior and executive representatives from major organizations such as Meta Platforms, Cassava Technologies, Equinix, IHS Towers, Airtel, Apolo.io, Open Access Data Centres, MTN, Analyses Mason, Xalam Analytics, inq, Avanti Communications Plc., Digital Realty, Raxio Group, and various state governments.

The event will feature keynote presentations, panel sessions, and fireside chats on critical themes, including: “Satellite, Subsea, and Terrestrial: Africa’s Path to Seamless and Integrated Connectivity”; “Regulatory Frameworks for Fostering Digital Infrastructure Development in Africa”; “Data Center and Cloud in Africa: The Journey to 2500MW”; “Funding Africa’s Digital Infrastructure: What is the Right Mix?”, and “The Talent Gap: Developing Sustainable Digital Talent for Africa”, among others.

Speakers at the conference include Kazeem Oladepo, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at IHS Towers; Dr. Ayotunde Coker, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Open Access Data Centres; Wole Abu, CEO, Liquid Intelligent Technologies; Sade Dada, Public Policy Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta Platforms; Josephine Sarouk, Managing Director (MD), Bayobab; and Olatubosun Alake, Honorable Commissioner, Innovation, Science and Technology, Lagos State. Other speakers include Lanre Kolade, Chairman, ConnectedCompute; Ikechukwu Nnamani, CEO of Digital Realty Nigeria; Bill Kleyman, CEO of Apolo/Program Chair, AFCOM and Data Center World; Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria; Dr. Krish Ranganath, Regional Executive- West Africa, Africa Data Centres; Wabo Majavu, Executive of Strategy and Business Operations at Africa Data Centre; Gbenga Adegbiji, CEO of Geniserve; Guy Zibi, Managing Partner of Xalam Analytics; Olusegun Maleghemi, CIO, Ouranos; Adewale Adeyemi, Head, Business Development; TeKnowledge; Adewole Adebisi, Head, Technical Operations, Raxio Group; Ifeanyi Akosionu, Managing Director, inq Digital; Dr. Hakeem Onasanya, Head, Startups (Lagos Innovates), LSETF; Olawale Owoeye, CEO, Cedarview Communications; Sameer Gupta, Principal, Analyses Mason; Femi Fajemirokun, Head, Information, Telecoms and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), West African Power Pool, and Reuben Oshomah, Regional Director, West and Central Africa, Avanti Communications Plc.

Ahead of the event, Kazeem Oladepo, Chief Operating Officer at IHS Towers, expressed enthusiasm: “The Hyperscalers Convergence Africa conference promises to be a valuable platform to discuss opportunities and address pressing challenges in the deployment of digital infrastructure. I believe this gathering will set the stage for new initiatives, partnerships, and solutions that will advance Africa’s digital transformation.”

Lanre Kolade, Chairman of ConnectedCompute and former Group Chief Executive Officer of CSquared, emphasized the role of innovation through partnerships: “We can build digital infrastructure expansion and resilience by collaborating and creating synergies to close infrastructure gaps and empower our digital economy with a pan-African collaboration.”

“As we grow Africa’s digital economy, the role of data centres becomes increasingly critical. At the Hyperscalers Convergence Africa conference, we have a unique opportunity to align our efforts and build out the infrastructure needed to support this growth.

“By aligning expanding carrier-neutral data centre capacity with robust pen access connectivity, we can unlock the potential for greater innovation and economic development and changing lives across the continent” commented Dr. Ayotunde Coker, Chief Executive Officer of Open Access Data Centres.

The Hyperscalers Convergence Africa conference represents a critical step in bridging the digital infrastructure gap across Africa.

By bringing together influential leaders and innovators, this event will foster collaboration and drive the necessary conversations and actions to shape Africa’s digital future.

The insights and partnerships forged at this conference will be instrumental in unlocking new opportunities for growth, innovation, and sustainability in Africa’s digital economy.