Airtel Nigeria is set to build a 38-megawatt hyper scale data Centre in Lagos, marking what could be a major step forward in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure development. According to reports, the facility will be located in the high-security Eko Atlantic district and is projected to become operational by the first quarter of 2026.
The Centre is expected to span approximately 300,000 square feet, with capacity for over 3,000 racks across six floors. Designed to support power-intensive applications—up to 25 kilowatts per rack, the facility aims to meet the growing demands of hyper scalers, enterprises, and government agencies, including those operating in AI and high-performance computing environments.
Industry sources note that the Centre will offer carrier-neutral connectivity, proximity to major undersea cable landing stations, and access to dense fiber routes all of which position it strategically within Nigeria’s telecom landscape. Reports also indicate that energy efficiency is a core focus, with plans to achieve a Power Usage Effectiveness of less than 1.4 and ensure backup from multiple power substations.
Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, has been quoted in multiple media outlets highlighting the company’s commitment to accelerating digital adoption in Nigeria. He emphasized the need for smart and scalable infrastructure to support cloud services, AI, and enterprise connectivity, while keeping customer experience at the forefront.
The company has also reportedly been investing in long-term network resilience, including the relocation of over 3,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable to reduce downtime and support both 4G and 5G rollout. Airtel currently claims 100% 4G coverage nationwide and continues to expand its network redundancy, particularly in regions vulnerable to infrastructure disruption.
With an estimated investment of over $120 million, this project adds to a growing wave of data infrastructure initiatives reshaping Africa’s position in the global tech ecosystem.
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