29 December 2025
Michalis Grigoratos, CEO, InfraPartners
As African economies continue to evolve amidst unique power constraints and infrastructural challenges, innovative solutions are essential to leapfrog traditional limitations and accelerate digital development. This is especially true when it comes to AI deployments which are projected to drive 70% of future data centre growth, with global capacity expected to triple by 2030. The rapid evolution of AI and other advanced technologies necessitates adaptable, high-capacity data centres.
Prefabricated data centres have emerged as a transformative force redefining how developing regions deliver AI infrastructure, scalability, and resilience in the face of rapid technological change. These flexible designs are built for upgradeability, ensuring infrastructure remains aligned with technological advancements and delivers sustained, long-term ROI.
Power and grid availability remain significant barriers to digital infrastructure deployment within many African regions. Prefabricated data centres offer a paradigm shift by enabling the design of infrastructure around existing and emerging on site energy solutions (such as fuel cells), rather than forcing regions to adopt traditional, rigid power models. Taking this prefabricated approach facilitates seamless integration of on site power generation and renewable energy sources, phased growth strategies. Microgrid independence fosters resilience amid energy volatility and any existing grid challenges. Regions are no longer limited by legacy utility infrastructure and can establish sustainable, future-ready digital ecosystems.
From a quality perspective, there are also advantages. By constructing prefabricated data centres off-site, operators can ensure that designs are high quality and consistent, while having the flexibility to solve issues from the first stage of production. This approach enables the rapid deployment of high-performance, environmentally conscious data centres, that leverage existing energy assets to reduce the strain on local grids. These prefabricated units are designed with sustainability in mind, incorporating advanced cooling systems and renewable energy compatibility, thereby aligning operational performance with environmental stewardship.
In addition to energy availability, the global shortage of skilled data centre professionals poses a significant challenge to infrastructure expansion, particularly in regions with limited local expertise. Many companies are heavily reliant on flying in expensive, skilled labour, which drives up project costs and raises questions about long-term scalability and labour sustainability. Offsite prefabrication addresses this by shifting complex construction into controlled factory environments, reducing reliance on skilled labour at the project site. This streamlined approach enables faster delivery and opens up new opportunities for geographically diverse deployments, even if there are local, labour constraints. This represents a strategic move towards democratising digital infrastructure development in Africa and beyond.
Prefabricated data centres are more than a technological innovation, they are a strategic enabler of sustainable, scalable, and resilient digital infrastructure. For Africa, this approach offers a path to overcoming energy and skills challenges, accelerating deployments in remote areas, and prepare for the exponential growth driven by AI and emerging technologies. Embracing this transformative model will be critical for regions aiming to harness digital transformation as a catalyst for economic progress and social development.
