AI researchers say data sharing is a key part of economic growth in Africa but that it faces a number of common obstacles, including the threat of data colonialism. The African data market is expected to grow steadily in the coming years, and the African Data Centre trade organization predicts the African data market will need hundreds of new datacenters to meet demand in the coming decade. In a paper titled "Narratives and Counternarratives on Data Sharing in Africa," the research team lays out structural problems including but limited to financial or infrastructure problems. Coauthors argue that failure to consider ethical concerns associated with those obstacles could cause irreparable harm. "Currently, a significant proportion of Africa's digital infrastructure is controlled by Western technology powers, such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Uber," the paper reads.