By Wojtek Piorko, managing director, Africa at Vertiv
Kenya is entering a new digital era, one defined by accelerated connectivity, data growth and the move towards artificial intelligence (AI). But to fully make use of these opportunities, the country must address the infrastructure demands driving tomorrow’s digital economy.
Across Africa – and notably in Kenya – connectivity has surged. The country is home to some of the continent’s fastest-growing mobile and internet penetration rates, and with 4G already dominant, 5G is poised to accelerate that trajectory.
The Communications Authority of Kenya’s (CA) recently released quarterly Sector Statistics report covering July to September 2024 that stated that the country’s mobile data subscriptions grew to a record 53.7 million by the end of the quarter, with 4G constituting 58.1 percent. It noted that the adoption of 4G and 5G technologies has continued to grow, mainly driven by the growing demand for high-speed Internet for activities such as streaming, online learning, remote work, and e-commerce.
In addition, the CA’s report said that the total data/Internet subscriptions rose by 4.9 percent to 1.57 million from 1.50 million recorded as of the end of June 2024. Satellite Internet subscriptions also recorded a significant increase of 104.7 percent during the reference period.
The evolution of networks, however, is only part of the story. Kenya’s digital potential now hinges on the infrastructure that supports data-intensive applications like artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing.
According to some analysts, data centre capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to triple between 2021 and 2026, with Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria contributing the lion’s share. For Kenya, the focus goes beyond capacity and extends to readiness. The rise of AI workloads brings with it unparalleled demands on power, cooling and data throughput. Data centres are now expected to handle unprecedented power densities. All of these factors contribute to traditional IT setups no longer sufficing.
Kenyan enterprises, telcos and service providers must now prepare for higher rack densities, hybrid energy models and real-time compute at the edge. With AI workloads pushing beyond 80kW per rack in some environments, next-generation data centre architecture, featuring liquid cooling, battery energy storage and modular scalability, is essential.
At the same time, sustainability isn’t optional. As energy efficiency becomes a global priority, operators in Kenya face several pressures: supporting growing digital demand while keeping environmental footprints low and combatting power grid constraints.
All-in- solutions like VertivTM 360AI, fast-deployable prefab builds, battery energy storage systems (BESS), liquid cooling and hybrid solar-power integration can help strike that balance, especially in a region where grid reliability varies. With many reference sites in eastern Africa, where these solutions have been successfully installed and support local businesses, Vertiv is the first choice of providers for many regional and global customers. Liquid cooling and hybrid solar-power integration can help strike that balance, especially in a region where grid reliability varies. With many reference sites in eastern Africa, where these solutions have been successfully installed and support local businesses, Vertiv is the first choice of providers for many regional and global customers.
Vertiv’s approach, which is backed by global R&D, local expertise and a broad portfolio of edge-to-core solutions, is designed to help Kenyan organisations navigate this journey. The organisation’s Kenyan office serves not only as a sales hub, but also provides comprehensive technical and service support, as well as access to a Customer Experience Centre offering pre-sales, sales and service certification training.
Also Read: Vertiv and NTSA Partner to Boost Kenya’s Digital Transformation with Integrated Data Centre Solution
