Expert discusses Africa’s growing push for AI infrastructure

Uganda is positioning itself as a potential hub for artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa, as the government moves forward with what backers describe as the continent’s first AI-focused supercomputing facility.

The project is being developed near the Chinese-constructed Karuma Hydropower Plant on the River Nile, one of Uganda’s largest energy projects. Supporters say the location offers a critical advantage for advanced computing: access to stable, renewable electricity at scale.

Developers say the facility is designed to support large-scale artificial intelligence workloads, with operations expected to go live later this year. 

The $1.2-billion project is being developed by Synectics Technologies, with partners including Nvidia and Schneider Electric.

Alongside the data center, the project includes an artificial intelligence center intended to combine research, skills training and commercial innovation focused on African solutions. 

Professor Lawrence Muganga, Vice Chancellor of Uganda's Victoria University, says the development reflects a broader shift in how Africa views AI — not just as a tool to use, but as a system it must help shape.

“It actually is long overdue,” Muganga says. “If you look at Africa, it’s no longer something we need to talk about, we know that our population growth, we have the youngest population in the world. Now, talking about technology that is as transformative as artificial intelligence, we really need to be at the highest end of the continuum, in terms of embracing it, in terms of using it but also, in terms of having a say in how data is processed.” 

He says the emergence of large-scale data centers in Africa could mark a shift towards data sovereignty.

However, critics caution that infrastructure alone is not enough. They warn that without clear regulations, strong governance frameworks and meaningful local participation, countries could host advanced systems without securing their long-term economic and technological benefits.