AI-driven data consumption in Africa to grow fivefold by 2030 – Helios Tower CEO Tom Greenwood

Africa’s demand for data is set to skyrocket, with consumption projected to quintuple over the next five years, according to industry leaders who say the continent is on the edge of a massive AI-driven transformation.

Tom Greenwood, CEO of Helios Towers, one of Africa’s largest telecoms infrastructure companies, said the shift is already visible. “We’re seeing that in our business already at the micro-level,” he noted at Semafor’s The Next 3 Billion summit. “Africa is really on the cusp of a real data boom, and we expect AI to accelerate that growth.”

Vivek Badrinath, director general of the GSMA, the global telecoms industry body, echoed Greenwood’s optimism. He pointed to Artificial Intelligence’s potential to reshape critical sectors like health care, agriculture, and local content development, unlocking new opportunities for innovation and growth across the continent.

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However, challenges remain. More than 75% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population still lacks access to mobile internet, according to GSMA data, a gap that must be closed if the region is to fully harness the benefits of artificial intelligence and digital transformation.