Digital infrastructure – from fiber networks and data centers to smart-grid platforms and edge computing – has become a foundational pillar of modern energy systems. Across Africa, investors and governments are increasingly recognizing that reliable connectivity and advanced digital platforms are indispensable for integrating renewables, managing distributed generation and enabling predictive analytics that improve grid stability while lowering costs for consumers.

Real-world initiatives already show how digital technologies are being linked directly to energy transformation. In Senegal, Kenya and beyond, the Digital Energy Challenge, led by Agence Française de Développement with support from the European Union, is backing startups and technology providers deploying digital solutions to bolster grid performance, expand access and accelerate decarbonization. The 2025 edition recognized five projects developing AI-driven demand-response tools, IoT-enabled remote monitoring for solar assets and software to optimize grid operations – demonstrating clear, measurable connections between digital innovation and energy outcomes across African markets.

Infrastructure that sits at the intersection of energy and digital connectivity continues to expand. Data-center development – such as the PAIX Data Centers project in Dakar, scheduled to come online in 2026 with significant colocation and high-power capacity – is strengthening the backbone for cloud services and advanced computing across West Africa. It builds on earlier investments such as IXAfrica’s Tier III-certified NBOX1 facility in Nairobi, which already supports AI-intensive workloads and is designed to scale as demand grows.

At the policy level, governments are embedding digital growth into national development strategies. Ethiopia’s Digital Ethiopia 2030 blueprint, launched in late 2025, outlines ambitious targets for infrastructure expansion, inclusive digital services and AI readiness – aligning energy-sector modernization with broader economic digitalization.

Together, these efforts mark a broader shift in how energy systems are conceived – moving beyond hardware alone toward digitally enabled, data-driven platforms that enhance performance, cut operational costs and support renewable integration at scale. Smart grids leverage real-time data to balance demand and supply from multiple sources, improving power quality and reducing reliance on costly reserves. AI tools can predict failures before they occur, optimize maintenance and dynamically adjust grid configurations – capabilities that are increasingly critical as electrification expands and distributed energy resources multiply.

Yet financing needs remain substantial. Africa’s share of global data-center capacity is still limited relative to demand, while connectivity gaps persist in rural and peri-urban regions. Mobilizing capital will require blended financing, de-risking mechanisms and regulatory clarity that encourages private participation alongside development finance. Equally important are frameworks governing open access, cybersecurity and data sovereignty, creating the confidence investors need to scale digital-energy projects.

The IAE 2026 panel on Investing in Digital Infrastructure aims to move this conversation from discussion to deployment. Leaders from finance, policy and technology will examine how to scale infrastructure that supports AI-enabled optimization of power systems, strengthens grid resilience and accelerates the continent’s energy transition. The session will highlight pathways for investors to identify bankable opportunities in digital energy platforms, data-center developments, smart-grid technologies and connectivity initiatives underpinning next-generation power ecosystems.

IAE 2026 is an exclusive forum designed to connect African energy markets with global investors, serving as a key platform for deal-making in the lead-up to African Energy Week. Scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, in Paris, the event will provide delegates with two days of in-depth engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, visit www.invest-africa-energy.com. To sponsor or register as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com