The UAE will launch a USD 1 bn initiative to support and fund AI projects in Africa, according to Wam. The AI for Development program will be rolled out in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Exports Office (Adex) and the UAE Foreign Aid Agency.

The details: The initiative will support projects that integrate AI usage into sectors like infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare, climate adaptation, and government services, Bloomberg reports, citing State Minister Saeed bin Mubarak Al Hajeri at the G20 leaders’ summit. The program will include “access to AI computing power, technical expertise, and global partnerships,” he added. It also aims to facilitate projects boosting economic and tech cooperation between Emirati firms and Africa, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi said.

The African continent is set to see its data centers sector grow by 17.5% y-o-y in 2026, with Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa emerging as the continent’s top destinations for data center investments. Despite lagging behind globally, businesses are optimistic about growth opportunities in the sector, with 74% of surveyed businesses in a 2025 survey by the African Data Center Association saying they are planning to make significant investments within the next year.

DATA POINT- The UAE is the fourth-largest investor in Africa, with bilateral trade up 28% y-o-y in 2024 to reach USD 107 bn, Reuters reports, citing Al Hajeri’s statement. Its total investments in Africa exceeded USD 118 bn between 2020-2024.

MORE FROM UAE-

Kezad inks AED 1.1 bn contracts with Indian firms in manufacturing push: AD Ports Group subsidiary Kezad Group inked two land lease agreements with Indian manufacturing giants Jindal Saw Group and Haldiram Group to develop two manufacturing facilities in Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (Kezad), according to an ADX disclosure (pdf). The agreements are valued at upward of AED 1.1 bn and cover over 514k sqm.

The details: Jindal Saw will invest AED 1 bn to develop a seamless steel pipe manufacturing plant covering 400k sqm in Kezad Musaffah’s ICAD. The facility will produce 300k tons per annum of steel pipes and tubes for the oil and gas sector, destined for export both regionally and internationally. Meanwhile, Haldiram Snacks, India’s largest sweets and snacks manufacturer, will develop its first regional manufacturing hub in Kezad Al Ma’mourah — a 114k sqm facility that will accommodate 11 production lines, with some AED 150-200 mn in planned investments.

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