US Companies Secure $25.67 Billion in African Deals as They Challenge China in Data Centers
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 2
US Companies Secure $25.67 Billion in African Deals as They Challenge China in Data Centers
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 2
Summary
$25.67 billion in 37 transactions has been closed in Africa since Trump’s second term began, with data-center and power projects emerging as a central U.S. push against China.
Lesotho anchors that drive: Convalt Energy won a $6.2 billion deal for a 900MW AI data center and 1,200MW pumped-storage hydropower project, expected to lift the country’s power capacity about 1,600%.
Other embassy-backed wins include a $100 million Gabon contract for two data centers and a gas-to-power plant, plus a $170 million Ivory Coast deal for a data center, digitalization platform and border system.
The deals are being steered through the State Department’s 2025 Commercial Diplomacy Strategy, which officials say helps U.S. firms compete on transparency, reliability and long-term investment rather than price alone.
China still dwarfs the U.S. in overall Africa trade—$348 billion versus $83.4 billion last year—underscoring how these projects fit a broader contest for influence in the continent’s digital infrastructure.