Safaricom has teamed up with iXAfrica Data Centres to launch East Africa’s first AI-ready data centre, a move to transform the region’s digital infrastructure.
This agreement, announced on Tuesday, meets Kenya’s growing demand for advanced data storage and AI computing, allowing organisations and governments to run AI workloads safely and cost-effectively.
AI-ready data centre to power East Africa’s digital growth
The new facility, NBOX1, is a hyperscale data centre in Nairobi with an initial IT capacity of 4.5MW, scalable up to 22.5MW as part of a larger campus. It supports high-density computing and advanced cooling systems necessary for AI and cloud services.
Safaricom CEO Dr. Peter Ndegwa emphasized that this infrastructure will help businesses manage AI workloads with speed, compliance, and data sovereignty, fulfilling the region’s growing need for robust and scalable digital solutions.
“This partnership enhances our enterprise portfolio with premium data centre services that meet the highest global standards while supporting sustainable digital growth,” Dr. Ndegwa said, highlighting Safaricom’s vision to be Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company by 2030.
Strategic collaboration to accelerate Innovation across East Africa
iXAfrica’s Chairman, Guy Willner, described the partnership as a perfect synergy between technological excellence and market leadership.
By combining iXAfrica’s purpose-built AI-ready infrastructure with Safaricom’s extensive market presence and customer base, the collaboration aims to create a digital ecosystem that accelerates innovation and growth across East Africa.
The partnership offers enterprise and cloud suites starting at 350kW with scalability beyond 1MW, integrated connectivity solutions, and an end-to-end infrastructure stack covering colocation, cloud services, cybersecurity, and business resilience- all under one contract with Safaricom. This integrated approach ensures businesses can adopt AI and advanced digital services locally without relying on overseas data centres.
NBOX1’s strategic location along major fiber optic routes and access to low-carbon power sources further strengthens its appeal as a regional hub for data-intensive operations, serving over 300 million people across East Africa.
This collaboration marks a key milestone in Kenya’s digital transformation and positions the country as a rising hub for next-generation digital infrastructure, ready to support the continent’s expanding AI and cloud computing needs.