[AI] Analytics Intelligence, OADC Partner to Build Sovereign AI Infrastructure in Africa

By Francisca Anuforo

[AI] Analytics Intelligence has entered into a strategic partnership with Open Access Data Centres (OADC), a WIOCC Group company, to expand access to locally hosted artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure across Africa.

The partnership is focused on helping African businesses deploy AI solutions while keeping sensitive data within local jurisdictions and meeting regulatory and security requirements.

Under the agreement, [AI] Analytics Intelligence will combine its enterprise AI and advanced analytics capabilities with OADC’s network of edge data centres across the continent.

The companies plan to deliver integrated NeoCloud solutions aimed at making it easier for enterprises to adopt and scale AI without having to rely entirely on infrastructure located outside Africa.

A key component of the offering will be access to high-performance computing, including AI Processing Units (APUs) hosted within OADC’s data centres. This infrastructure is expected to provide the computing capacity required to train and operate resource-intensive AI applications locally.

The partnership comes as businesses across Africa increase their adoption of AI for areas such as automation, analytics, decision-making and customer services.

However, the expansion of AI also presents challenges around where corporate data is stored and processed, particularly for sectors handling sensitive information.

According to the companies, the new solutions are designed to address these concerns by combining local data-centre infrastructure with enterprise-grade AI applications.

[AI] Analytics Intelligence will focus on developing industry-specific AI applications for enterprise customers. In the financial services sector, for example, the company plans to provide private analytics environments designed to support data sovereignty and regulatory compliance.

David Edoja, founder and chief executive officer of’s [AI] Analytics Intelligence, said Africa’s AI ambitions require infrastructure that can address the continent’s specific security, resilience and operational needs.

“Africa’s AI future depends on more than powerful technology; it depends on infrastructure that is secure, resilient, and built for the realities of our markets,” Edoja said.

He added that the partnership would help African organisations access enterprise AI and the computing capacity required to deploy it, while retaining greater control over their data.

Ayotunde Coker, chief executive officer of OADC, said the partnership would combine the company’s digital infrastructure with AI capabilities to help businesses accelerate innovation.

He said OADC’s objective is to bring digital infrastructure closer to the businesses and communities that depend on it, while supporting performance, security and compliance requirements.

Why sovereign AI matters

The partnership highlights a growing shift towards sovereign AI infrastructure, where organisations seek greater control over the location, processing and protection of their data and AI workloads.

For African businesses, locally hosted infrastructure could help reduce reliance on overseas data centres while supporting compliance with national and sector-specific data protection requirements.

It could also help reduce latency for AI applications that require high-speed processing and real-time access to data.

The companies said they intend to continue developing AI and cloud solutions that support data residency, security and operational requirements as AI adoption grows across Africa.