In a significant stride toward Kenya’s digital transformation, Airtel Kenya, in partnership with its data centre subsidiary Nxtra by Airtel Africa, has officially commenced construction on what will become East Africa’s largest data centre.
The groundbreaking event at Tatu City marks a major milestone as the country aims to position itself as a regional hub for digital infrastructure.
The new facility is designed to deliver a total power capacity of 44 megawatts and is slated to be operational by the first quarter of 2027. Built to meet the highest international standards, the data centre will feature 99.99% uptime, multiple redundant fibre paths, high-power density racks, and advanced seven-layer security systems. Energy efficiency has also been prioritized to ensure sustainable operations.
Once completed, the data centre is expected to serve as a key partner for hyperscalers, enterprises, and government agencies across the region. It will provide reliable, scalable hosting capabilities for cloud services, artificial intelligence workloads, and high-performance computing, thereby strengthening Kenya’s reputation as the “Silicon Savannah.” The project is also anticipated to generate numerous employment opportunities during construction, create specialized roles once operational, and stimulate local supply chains and industries.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, industry leaders highlighted the strategic importance of the project in establishing Kenya as a trusted hub for global and regional digital infrastructure. They emphasized that the initiative aligns with the Kenyan government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, reinforcing the country’s ambitions to expand its influence from continental to international digital markets.
The event was attended by notable figures including Hon. William Kabogo, the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy; Mr. Peter Ikumilu, Acting Assistant Director General of the Communications Authority; Yashnath Issur, CEO of Nxtra; and Ashish Malhotra, Managing Director of Airtel Kenya.
Airtel Kenya underscored that this substantial investment reflects its long-term commitment to fostering growth within Kenya and the broader East African region. The company aims to serve customers more effectively, empower businesses, support government initiatives, and unlock new opportunities for communities across Africa through cutting-edge digital infrastructure.
