According to recent research by Arizton, the Middle East and Africa data centre construction market is expected to reach USD 15.97 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 25.34% during the forecast period.
Middle East & Africa Data Centre Construction Market Report Scope:
| MARKET SIZE BY INVESTMENT (2031) | USD 15.97 Billion |
| MARKET SIZE BY INVESTMENT (2025) | USD 4.12 Billion |
| CAGR BY INVESTMENT (2025-2031) | 25.34 % |
| MARKET SIZE – AREA (2031) | 4,975.5 thousand Sq. Ft. |
| POWER CAPACITY (2031) | 1,269 MW |
| HISTORIC YEAR | 2022-2024 |
| BASE YEAR | 2025 |
| FORECAST YEAR | 2026-2031 |
| MARKET SEGMENTS | Infrastructure, Electrical Infrastructure, Mechanical Infrastructure, Cooling Systems, Cooling Technique, General Construction, Tier Standards, and Geography |
| GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS | Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Turkey, and Other Middle Eastern Countries) and Africa (South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and Other African Countries) |
MEA Data Centre Construction Market Highlights
- The MEA data centre construction market is expected to reach USD 15.97 billion by 2031.
- The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.34% from 2025 to 2031.
- In terms of segment, the market continues to witness strong growth in infrastructure investments
- The UAE remains one of the most mature data centre markets in the region, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi continuing to attract investments.
- In terms of power capacity, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and South Africa continue to lead the region owing to large hyperscale deployments and colocation expansions
Key Investments & Expansion Activities Shaping the MEA Data Centre Market
- Operators are accelerating expansion plans to strengthen regional capacity. In January 2026, Zoho Corporation launched cloud regions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi under its USD 27.23 million (AED 100 million) UAE investment plan, enabling local data residency.
- LEAP Riyadh 2025 is expected to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s data centre growth, attracting major investments and strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure ecosystem.
- Nigeria is emerging as the fastest-growing investment market, registering a CAGR of 34.17% (2025–2031), with investments rising from USD 132 million in 2025 to USD 770 million by 2031.
- Cassava Technologies secured strategic investment from Stanlib Infrastructure Investments and Nvidia to expand AI-ready data centres through its subsidiary Africa Data Centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
- In January 2026, RailTel Corporation of India secured a USD 2.2 million contract to build a government data centre in Addis Ababa, supporting the country’s digital transformation strategy.
Strategic AI Investments Shaping the Future of MEA’s Digital Infrastructure
The MEA region is accelerating investments in AI-led digital infrastructure, as governments increasingly position advanced computing, semiconductor resilience, and cloud capacity as strategic priorities for long-term digital growth. Recent market activities signal stronger infrastructure momentum, with Egypt expanding ICT investments, the UAE strengthening computer and semiconductor partnerships through the Pax Silica initiative, and Israel scaling high-performance AI infrastructure. At the same time, Nigeria and South Africa are expanding AI innovation ecosystems through accelerator programs, research platforms, and public-sector investments, reinforcing MEA’s growing role in next-generation digital infrastructure development.
The Geographies Emerging as MEA’s Next Data Centre Growth Hubs
- Saudi Arabia is the largest investment market in MEA, projected to grow at a CAGR of 27% by 2031, supported by Vision 2030, cloud region launches, AI infrastructure deployments, and mega projects such as NEOM.
- The United Arab Emirates remains one of the region’s most mature markets, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi attracting investments from cloud providers, colocation operators and enterprises, while smart city developments continue to support demand for edge and modular facilities.
- Turkey is emerging as a regional digital infrastructure hub, leveraging its strategic location between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East to support data centre and connectivity expansion.
- Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt are emerging as high-growth investment destinations, supported by enterprise digitalization, fintech expansion, submarine cable connectivity and rising cloud adoption
