The Katsina State Government has signed an agreement with greentech firm Conflow Power Group Limited for the deployment of 50,000 solar-powered smart streetlights known as ‘iLamp’ units, in a move that will also establish Africa’s first distributed AI data centre in the state.

The disclosure was contained in a statement made available to The PUNCH by Pique PR on Tuesday.

According to the statement, Conflow Power Group Limited, working with its Nigerian partner, Mora Energy, reached the agreement with the state government for the large-scale rollout of the solar-powered streetlights, which also function as a revenue-generating distributed AI compute network.

It noted that the deployment positions Katsina as Africa’s first AI-powered smart state, extending beyond the smart city model to deliver intelligent infrastructure across the entire state.

The statement explained that each iLamp unit is capable of selling AI compute while also supporting AI-enabled cameras and monitoring systems for applications such as public safety, traffic management and infrastructure protection, subject to regulatory frameworks.

It added that the units could also provide public WiFi, Bluetooth connectivity and high-efficiency LED lighting, all powered by solar energy without additional operational cost to the state.

The agreement comes amid growing concerns over traditional large-scale AI data centres, particularly in the United States, where some states have introduced moratoriums due to their heavy consumption of electricity and water.

The Chief Executive Officer of Conflow Power Group Limited, Edward Fitzpatrick, said, “This agreement is a defining moment for how the world thinks about AI infrastructure, and we are proud that Katsina is the first Nigerian state to complete this process with us. Every ministry asked the right questions and satisfied itself across land use, highway regulation, data protection and security before writing to the governor.

“By contrast with traditional data centre models, which typically require 300 megawatts of grid power, millions of litres of cooling water and years of construction, Katsina’s 13.75 petaOPS arrives on an iLamp post powered by the sun, operational from day one. As the first to cross the line, CPG will locate its first factory in Katsina and create Nigeria’s first Green Utility.”

The statement noted that the agreement followed a multi-stage due diligence and regulatory review process required for public-private partnerships of that scale in Nigeria, describing the development as a step forward for Nigeria’s smart infrastructure agenda and the company’s expansion across Africa.

It added that over the past five months, executives of CPG and Mora Energy, led by Stanley Chuka-Umeora, Anthony Chuka-Umeora and Labo Mahuta, had engaged in parallel negotiations with seven Nigerian state governments, as well as universities, private firms and religious institutions, on similar deployments.

Founder of Mora Energy, Stanley Chuka-Umeora, said, “The groundwork to get here was extensive, but now the real work begins. 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. We are proud of our whole team and look forward to what comes next.”

The statement added that once all ongoing agreements are finalised, the combined programme would exceed 300,000 iLamp units across federal, state and institutional installations, forming what it described as the largest distributed autonomous lighting and AI compute network in Africa.

It further disclosed that discussions were ongoing regarding the planned deployment of the iLamp technology along Nigeria’s 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing it as a project of national strategic importance.

Special Adviser on Power and Energy to the Katsina State Government, Dr Hafiz Ahmad, said Katsina has become the premier state in Nigeria for data centre capability, home to the only distributed AI data centre of its kind anywhere on the African continent.

“Every lamp installed, every unit of computing power, every naira of revenue is fully auditable. For the people of Katsina, the benefits are transformational. This means safer streets, real-time crime and terrorism prevention, free public internet and a revenue stream that flows back into the state. We are more ready than ever to accommodate anyone coming to Katsina to invest in our great state.”