US-China infrastructure competition in Africa

The United States is expanding its infrastructure and digital footprint in Africa to counter growing Chinese influence on the continent. This effort includes advancing $26 billion in public-private partnerships for AI-ready data centers, such as a $1 billion geothermal-powered facility in Kenya and a $720 million rollout by Cassava Technologies across South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Morocco.

A central component of this competition is the $12.5 billion Bishoftu International Airport project in Ethiopia. Designed to handle 110 million passengers annually, the facility is positioned to become Africa’s largest airport. While Chinese contractors have made significant progress, the United States is seeking involvement through firms like Boeing and GE Aerospace, as well as financial institutions such as the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Ethiopia is reportedly utilizing this geopolitical rivalry to secure capital and technology by leveraging competition between major powers without committing to a single side.