Ooredoo, Nvidia and Nokia Launch $2 B AI Compute Platform Targeting Southeast Asia

AI Compute Platform Zankore Takes Shape in Indonesia

Qatar’s Ooredoo Group is pouring $800 million into Zankore, a multi‑billion‑dollar AI compute platform that will deliver up to 1 GW of capacity over three years. Backed by Nvidia, Nokia and local partner Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, the venture has already booked blue‑chip users for roughly 200 MW slated for mid‑2027. The initial tranche is projected to generate ↑ $13 billion in revenue and ↑ $9 billion in cumulative EBITDA within five years, giving Ooredoo a $600 million share.

“We have been gearing up for more than three years to shift from a traditional telco to a digital‑infrastructure powerhouse,”

said Ooredoo Group CEO Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo. Nvidia supplies the latest GPUs while Nokia provides the networking backbone, and an orchestration layer will recycle stranded power to boost effective output by up to 40%. The model follows a GPU‑as‑a‑Service approach, letting clients rent compute by the hour instead of buying hardware. Indonesia’s digital economy is forecast by Reuters to surpass $130 billion by 2030, and regional power demand for data centres could rise from 2.6 GW in 2025 to 10.7 GW by 2035, according to Wood Mackenzie. With Jakarta emerging as a hyperscale hub, Zankore plans to scale across Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand once the Indonesian base reaches full capacity. Ooredoo’s balance sheet shows a net‑debt‑to‑EBITDA ratio of 0.6x, leaving ample room for further infrastructure bets.

Words by: Roman Vance

Contracted Global Reporter
(Note: Roman Vance is covering this desk while Julian Reed is on sick leave.)