Panel Discussion: Gigawatt/Gigabit Africa - a vision realised?

Africa's telecom and data center market has solidified itself as a dynamic opportunity for global investment, and with young, tech-savvy populations and quickening digital infrastructure expansion, key African markets could be primed as major AI hubs. As global cloud providers and enterprises establish a presence, demand grows for resilient, efficient data centers powered by rich renewable energy sources and supported by localized internet infrastructure. Yet, challenges relating to power availability, equitable connectivity, and regulatory alignment remain. This panel will explore:

• How are African markets capitalising on growing interest from global cloud providers to become key AI hubs? 

• What is the role of renewable energy in powering Africa’s next generation of sustainable data centres? 

• What are the opportunities for international partnerships to strengthen Africa’s role in the global digital economy 

• What is the strategic importance of Africa’s emerging role in global subsea cable routes?