Safaricom has partnered with iXAfrica Data Centre to introduce the first artificial intelligence (AI)-ready data centre services in East Africa, targeting enterprise and cloud clients in Kenya.
The collaboration will enable businesses and government institutions to access scalable, secure, and cost-effective infrastructure for data storage, backup, and computing, including AI workloads.
The two companies said the new offering is designed to support organisations adopting AI technologies by providing reliable infrastructure that meets the high-density computing and cooling demands of modern AI applications.
According to Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa, the partnership will strengthen the company’s enterprise services as part of its long-term strategy.
"As East Africa's digital economy continues its rapid expansion, businesses increasingly require robust, scalable, and secure infrastructure solutions that can support the next wave of innovation, including AI workloads," Ndegwa stated.
Read More
"Through this partnership with iXAfrica, we are enhancing our enterprise portfolio with premium data centre services that meet the highest global standards while supporting sustainable digital growth in the markets we serve in line with our vision to be Africa's leading purpose-led technology company by 2030."
Under the agreement, Safaricom and iXAfrica will jointly offer a go-to-market strategy, dedicated suites for enterprise and cloud clients beginning at 350kW, with scalability to over 1MW.
The infrastructure is designed to support advanced workloads while maintaining energy efficiency and operational resilience.
The data centre services will cover the full stack—from colocation starting at 2U, to managed services, cloud, cybersecurity, and business continuity—delivered under a single contract through Safaricom.
iXAfrica Chairman Guy Willner said the partnership combines local market reach with global infrastructure standards.
"This collaboration represents a perfect synergy between technological excellence and market leadership," Willner stated.
"By combining our purpose-built, world-class AI-ready infrastructure with Safaricom's unparalleled market presence and customer relationships, we're creating a digital ecosystem that will accelerate innovation and growth across the region."
The services will be hosted at iXAfrica’s NBOX1 Nairobi Campus, which has a design capacity of 22.5MW and is the largest data centre development in Greater East Africa.
The campus is positioned along major fibre routes and is powered by low-carbon energy, aligning with Kenya’s renewable energy grid that supplies over 90 per cent of the country’s electricity.
The partners said the facility will enable businesses in financial services to apply AI for fraud detection, risk modelling, and customised services while manufacturers and retailers can optimise supply chains, monitor real-time IoT data, and forecast demand more effectively—without needing to host their data abroad.
Safaricom, which serves over 49 million customers in Kenya, said the move is part of its effort to expand digital services for large organisations by tapping into the country’s strategic location and energy profile.
