Airtel Nigeria has revealed plans to develop a 38MW hyperscale data centre in Lagos, marking a major step forward in the country’s burgeoning digital landscape.
Situated in the secure Eko Atlantic district, the new facility is slated to be operational by the first quarter of 2026 and aims to serve hyperscalers, government agencies, and enterprises of varying sizes.
The data centre will encompass over 3,000 racks distributed across six floors within a sprawling area of approximately 300,000 square feet. Designed for high power density — up to 25KW per rack — it will cater to next-generation workloads, including GPU-intensive applications and artificial intelligence, supporting Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.
During a media roundtable in Lagos, Airtel Nigeria’s CEO, Dinesh Balsingh, emphasised the project’s strategic importance. He described it as a reflection of the company’s long-term commitment to building robust digital infrastructure capable of supporting cloud computing, AI, and broader digital transformation initiatives. Balsingh stressed that network infrastructure is the backbone of digital progress and highlighted the importance of rapid, intelligent digitalisation with a focus on customer experience.
The location offers significant advantages, including proximity to undersea cable landing stations and dense fibre optic routes, ensuring high-capacity and low-latency connectivity. The facility will be carrier-neutral, featuring energy-efficient systems with a target Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of less than 1.4, and will have redundant power supplies sourced from multiple substations to ensure resilience.
Beyond its technical specifications, Balsingh underlined Airtel’s dedication to service quality and customer impact. The company has recently expanded network visibility tools, increased access in underserved areas, and invested in energy sustainability initiatives. Over the past two years, Airtel has relocated more than 3,000km of fibre optic cable to bolster network resilience, reduce downtime, and support both 4G and upcoming 5G deployments. Nigeria’s 4G coverage has now reached 100%, with ongoing efforts to enhance route redundancy, especially in regions vulnerable to vandalism and construction disruptions.
The new Lagos data centre will integrate into Airtel’s Nxtra network of data centres, enhancing the company’s national service capacity and positioning Nigeria for the next wave of digital innovation, including AI and fintech applications. With an estimated investment exceeding $120 million, the project underscores Africa’s rising prominence in global data infrastructure development, supporting the continent’s digital ambitions and economic growth.
