Space42, the UAE-based space and AI firm under G42, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft and Esri to deliver high-resolution, scalable base maps for all 54 African countries. The project, named the Map Africa Initiative, aims to build the most comprehensive geospatial dataset of the continent to date.
The five-year collaboration was formalised at Esri’s 2025 User Conference. It will provide updated mapping data to support infrastructure planning, public services, and economic development. The project is expected to benefit over 1.4 billion people and address fragmentation in current mapping systems used by African governments and institutions.
Under the agreement, Space42 will lead project management, secure funding, and provide satellite data, supported by AI-powered digital twin models. Esri will manage the base map production using its GeoAI and remote sensing systems, while Microsoft will provide cloud infrastructure and AI tools via Azure to enable data processing and sharing at scale.
The initiative aims to support several sectors, including transport, renewable energy, public safety, and urban development. Port authorities and logistics companies will gain access to terrain data for route planning. Energy firms will use geospatial models for site selection. Governments will be able to strengthen disaster response and border monitoring. The project also intends to lay the groundwork for future smart city projects.
The mapping data will be licensed to national governments and managed by their respective National Mapping Agencies. The partners said the initiative will also foster a new commercial ecosystem by enabling local startups to develop applications using the data.
For Space42, the project expands its footprint in Africa and deepens its relationship with Microsoft and Esri. The UAE, which deployed $44 billion in capital to Africa in 2024, remains the continent’s largest foreign investor. The Map Africa Initiative aligns with the country’s broader strategy to export AI capabilities and support digital infrastructure development across emerging markets.
The dataset will be stored in data centres operated by G42 and Microsoft across the continent. The project is also positioned as a strategic platform for Space42 to offer commercial services in analytics, licensing, and infrastructure.
G42’s group CEO, Peng Xiao, said the partnership will provide governments with AI-driven insights to support planning and public services, turning data into development across the Global South.
