Vertiv has announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Nxtra by Airtel Africa to support the development of one of the continent’s largest and most energy-efficient data centre networks.
The collaboration begins with the construction of a major 42MW data centre in Nigeria, set to be completed in four phases and fully operational by 2028. Vertiv will supply advanced thermal management systems, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units with batteries, along with comprehensive commissioning and maintenance services. Its local team in Nigeria will oversee the installation and provide five years of ongoing support to ensure high performance and minimal downtime.
Yash Issur, CEO of Nxtra by Airtel Africa, stressed that investing in large-scale, high-quality digital infrastructure is essential to drive Africa’s ongoing digital transformation. He noted that partnering with a vendor offering both global expertise and a strong local presence was crucial. Vertiv’s proven track record in supporting Airtel projects in India and its deep understanding of the African market give Nxtra confidence in delivering scalable, reliable infrastructure across its expanding network.
Karsten Winther, President of Vertiv for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), highlighted the long-standing relationship between Airtel and Vertiv, which spans nearly three decades. He emphasized that this partnership exemplifies how combining local support with global innovation can accelerate Africa’s digital growth. Wojtek Piorko, Managing Director of Vertiv Africa, described the alliance as a pivotal step in strengthening the continent’s digital backbone. He pointed to Africa’s rapidly growing, data-driven population as a key driver for infrastructure expansion, especially given the surge in data consumption driven by cloud services, fintech, and emerging AI workloads.
In Nigeria alone, internet traffic reached a record 1.1 million terabytes (TB) per month by July 2025, pushing the country’s data centre capacity to approximately 136.7 MW. Despite rising energy costs and fluctuating internet subscriptions, demand for resilient digital infrastructure continues to surge. Nxtra’s upcoming projects include a large-scale mega-site in Nairobi, designed to surpass the Nigerian deployment in scale and meet global standards for sustainability, security, and performance.
