Somalia's Hormuud Telecom to Expand Solar-Powered Data Centers For AI

AFRICAN BUSINESS AND ECONOMYDecember 9, 2024 at 9:02 AM UTC

TLDR

Somalia’s largest telecom operator, Hormuud Telecom, plans to expand its solar-powered data centers.
The company currently operates 11 data centers with a combined 10 megawatts of capacity.
Up to 95% of its energy is sourced from solar power during daylight hours.

Somalia’s largest telecom operator, Hormuud Telecom, plans to expand its solar-powered data centers to meet rising local and global AI-driven data demands, CEO Ahmed Mohamud Yusuf announced.

The company currently operates 11 data centers with a combined 10 megawatts of capacity, with up to 95% of energy sourced from solar power during daylight hours.

Hormuud has been pivotal in Somalia’s telecom development, co-financing two submarine cables and extending fiber-optic networks to key cities. It aims to roll out 5G coverage to 70% of the population by next year, supporting an economy with some of the world's cheapest mobile data at $0.50 per gigabyte.

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Points clés à retenir

Hormuud’s investment in renewable energy-powered infrastructure highlights Somalia's potential as a tech hub despite security and infrastructure challenges. Serving 4 million customers, the firm’s expansion aligns with growing digital demand in Somalia’s developing economy. With initiatives like 5G expansion and solar-powered data centers, Hormuud is positioning itself as a leader in sustainable telecom solutions in the Horn of Africa.

Business

Hormund

Somalia

Data Centers

Digital Infrastructure