The Katsina State Government has entered into a major public-private partnership agreement to install 50,000 solar-powered artificial intelligence (AI) streetlights across the state, in what officials describe as one of the largest smart infrastructure rollouts in Africa.
The project, to be implemented in collaboration with Conflow Power Group and its Nigerian partner, Mora Energy, is designed to integrate public lighting with digital infrastructure, including AI-enabled computing capacity, communications services, and security monitoring capabilities.
According to the agreement, each unit, known as an “iLamp”, will operate entirely on solar energy and serve as a multi-purpose infrastructure node capable of providing street lighting, public Wi-Fi, Bluetooth connectivity, and optional AI-powered surveillance features, subject to regulatory approval.
Speaking on the development, Edward Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive Officer of Conflow Power Group, described the initiative as a turning point in global infrastructure planning.
“This agreement is a defining moment for how the world thinks about AI infrastructure… Katsina is the first Nigerian state to complete this process with us,” Fitzpatrick said. “By contrast with traditional data centre models, Katsina’s 13.75 PetaOPS arrives on an iLamp post powered by the sun, operational from day one.”
He added that the system eliminates dependence on grid electricity and water-based cooling, arguing that it offers a more sustainable alternative to conventional centralised data centres.
Under the arrangement, the full deployment of 50,000 units is expected to generate significant distributed computing capacity across Katsina State and improve public lighting and urban safety.
Stanley Chuka-Umeora, founder of Mora Energy, said the rollout marks a new phase in Nigeria’s smart infrastructure development.
“We will install a state-of-the-art streetlight network that makes our streets safer, brings AI into local communities and positions Nigeria as a major player in global AI compute,” he said.
Government officials in Katsina also emphasised the regulatory scrutiny that preceded the project’s approval, noting that considerations of land use, cybersecurity, data protection, and public safety were reviewed before a final agreement was reached.
Dr Hafiz Ibrahim Ahmad, Special Adviser on Power and Energy to the Katsina State Government, said the initiative reflects a broader digital and energy transformation agenda.
“Every lamp installed, every unit of computing power, every naira of revenue is fully auditable,” Ahmad stated. “For the people of Katsina, the benefits are transformational—safer streets, improved connectivity, and new revenue streams for the state.”
The initiative builds on Katsina’s ongoing investments in renewable energy infrastructure, including solar power projects and hybrid energy systems across public facilities and health institutions.
Analysts say the project reflects a growing trend in Nigeria and other developing economies toward decentralised, solar-based infrastructure that combines energy access with digital services.
However, questions remain over long-term maintenance, data governance, and the practical implementation of AI-enabled public infrastructure at scale.
If fully implemented, the Katsina deployment would position the state as one of the earliest adopters of large-scale distributed AI infrastructure embedded directly into public utilities.
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