NAIROBI, Kenya– Qhala Trust, Amini AI, and Angani Limited have launched Qubit Hub, a GPU-powered research and co-working centre in Nairobi designed to expand access to artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and spur local innovation.
Located at Marsabit Plaza, the hub will provide affordable high-performance compute, training, mentorship, and collaborative programs to help developers and researchers overcome the infrastructure barriers that have held back Africa’s AI ecosystem.
Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke, who spoke at the event, asserted that the initiative signals an important step toward Africa’s digital sovereignty.
“Qubit Hub is a practical leap toward digital sovereignty. By bringing advanced compute closer to our innovators, we lower barriers, uphold our data, and create the conditions for African solutions to scale globally,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Lesotho’s Technology PS Kanono Ramashomole and Egypt’s Amr Farouk Safwat, who called for stronger collaboration across African states in advancing AI infrastructure.
Africa accounts for less than one percent of global AI compute capacity, with GPU access costing up to 31 times more on the continent than in Europe.
Qubit Hub aims to close this gap with a 2TB VRAM GPU cluster and structured programs including AI masterclasses, fellowships, and hackathons.
“Africa has immense AI potential but lacks foundational infrastructure. With less than 1% of global AI compute capacity, Africa’s GPUs are up to 31 times more expensive than in Europe. Qubit Hub provides a solution. There will be a massive 2TB VRAM cluster, which we can call a GPU-powered playground for African AI,” said Shikoh Gitau, CEO of Qhala.
“For too long, access to compute has been the bottleneck for Africa’s AI community. With Qubit Hub, we are breaking that barrier. By powering the Hub with world-class GPU infrastructure and technical support, we are enabling our researchers, startups, and students to build homegrown solutions for climate resilience, healthcare and inclusive growth – and to shape an AI economy that reflects our own priorities and ambitions,” said Amini AI CEO Kate Kallot on his part.
Riyaz Bachani, CEO of Angani Limited, underscored the cost advantage of local hosting.
“Local GPU access means we can run high-intensity workloads without the latency or costs associated with transferring data outside Kenya,” he said.
The hub will operate on a membership model with applications vetted by a panel of African AI experts. The founders plan to onboard 1,000 developers and researchers by January 2026, catalysing 500 use cases and 500 publications.
The evening also featured two milestone announcements: a Qubit Hub–NVIDIA partnership to strengthen compute capacity and the launch of the IDIA Fellowship Program to support next-generation African AI researchers.
In addition, Qhala unveiled a partnership with Nation Media Group to develop the Nation Intelligence Platform, a digital archive that will transform decades of media records into a searchable knowledge base. Described as a “ChatGPT for media history,” the platform will allow users to query past national conversations and trace the evolution of political, cultural, and social narratives.
Gitau compared Africa’s current moment in AI to the mobile phone revolution.
She added that the hub will also work closely with universities and research institutions across Africa.
The founders hinted at future hubs in West, North, and Southern Africa, positioning Qubit Hub as a continental network for AI breakthroughs.
