Africa has long been seen as digital infrastructure’s next big opportunity, driven by a young population, rapid urbanisation, rising Internet adoption, and growing digital demand. What has been missing is investment.
While billions have flowed into digital infrastructure elsewhere, Africa has remained largely untapped, often viewed as complex, fragmented, or risky.
Perception Is Changing
More than 20 billion USD is expected to flow into Africa’s digital infrastructure over the next five years as investors recognize the potential of its fast-growing digital economy.
Why Now?
Cloud adoption is accelerating across Africa while AI and the expansion of international cloud providers drive demand for compute capacity.
At the same time, subsea cable investment has transformed Africa’s international connectivity, significantly increasing bandwidth and resilience and creating the foundations for further digital infrastructure development.
Governments increasingly recognize digital infrastructure as critical to economic growth, driving policy support, and international investment.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nicola Hayes brings 30 years of experience in global digital infrastructure to her role as CMO of Platform Markets Group, which she joined as a founding non-executive director before stepping into the CMO position in 2025. Alongside her commercial career, Hayes has held senior academic leadership roles, including Associate Dean of LSBU Business School. A recognised expert on global data center trends and strategic technology marketing, she is a regular speaker at industry events, and was recently appointed to the Board of TechUK.
