Airtel Nigeria Plans to Construct a 38 Megawatt Data Centre within Eko Atlantic
Airtel Nigeria Announces 38-Megawatt Hyperscale Data Centre in Lagos
Airtel Nigeria has announced plans for a 38-megawatt hyperscale data centre in Lagos, marking a significant investment in the country's fast-growing digital infrastructure. The data centre, named "Nxtra by Airtel," will be located in the high-security Eko Atlantic development.
The key features of the data centre include a large IT load capacity of 38MW, designed specifically for GPU-powered infrastructure essential for artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. It will host over 3,000 racks across six floors, supporting high power density up to 25kW per rack, and use energy-efficient systems targeting a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of less than 1.4 with redundant power from multiple substations.
Dinesh Balsingh, Airtel Nigeria CEO, stated that the facility represents the company's long-term commitment to building digital infrastructure. The data centre is situated in Eko Atlantic City, a secure, well-developed area with reliable power and advanced infrastructure, making it an ideal location for large-scale cloud and AI computing.
The data centre is engineered for next-generation workloads, including GPU-intensive applications and artificial intelligence. It is intended to support hyperscalers, government agencies, and enterprises of all sizes. The primary benefits include catering to hyperscale cloud providers, large enterprises, small businesses, and government agencies with massive AI compute demands.
The facility also enables local AI model training and deployment with high-performance GPUs already acquired, addressing a critical technology gap highlighted in Nigeria’s 2024 draft National AI Strategy. It strengthens Nigeria’s digital economy by boosting local digital infrastructure, reducing reliance on foreign data centres, and supporting emerging AI and cloud services.
The data centre's construction signifies a significant investment of over $120 million, which is expected to go live in 2026. Airtel has made efforts to expand access in underserved areas and invest in energy sustainability. In the past two years, the company has relocated over 3,000 kilometers of fibre-optic cable.
Notably, Airtel has achieved 100 percent 4G coverage across Nigeria, demonstrating the company's focus on extending beyond technical capacity to include service quality and customer impact. The data centre's location offers strategic advantages, including proximity to undersea cable landing stations and dense fibre routes.
In summary, the facility positions Airtel Nigeria at the forefront of Africa’s data infrastructure race, supporting next-generation cloud and AI applications and enhancing digital sovereignty in the region. The data centre will serve as a cornerstone for the digital economy, driving growth and innovation in the technology sector.
- This 38-megawatt hyperscale data centre in Lagos, named "Nxtra by Airtel," is positioned in the high-security Eko Atlantic development, demonstrating Airtel Nigeria's investment in the country's digital infrastructure and commitment to security within data-and-cloud-computing environments.
- With a large IT load capacity specifically designed for GPU-powered infrastructure essential for artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, the data centre in Eko Atlantic City supports hyperscalers, government agencies, and enterprises of all sizes, including those with massive AI compute demands.
- By strengthening Nigeria's digital economy with the construction of this data centre, Airtel Nigeria is addressing a critical technology gap identified in the country's 2024 draft National AI Strategy, ultimately facilitating local AI model training and deployment with high-performance GPUs.
