MTN Nigeria to build West Africa’s largest data centre

• Published On: 29 June 2024 at 16:31

MTN Nigeria announced on Saturday the construction of its West African largest data center, a facility with 1,500 racks and a Tier 4 data center in the country.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, a Tier 4 data centre is designed to be totally fault-tolerant, with redundancy in every component and an estimated uptime of 99.995%.

This means it can tolerate a wide range of potential disturbances while providing the most reliable infrastructure.

Mr Mohammed Rufai, MTN's Chief Technical Officer, told reporters in Lagos that the data centre's construction was part of a larger effort to improve Nigeria's digital infrastructure.

Rufai stated that the data center would play an important role in satisfying the expanding data demands and digital needs of businesses and consumers throughout the country.

He stated that the new data centre would enhance MTN's infrastructure and act as a valuable resource for businesses in Nigeria.

"Businesses who need data center capacity can now avoid maintaining their server rooms.

''Our facility will provide the necessary space and services, allowing businesses to digitize their processes and increase productivity.

"The data center will also enhance the delivery of content from major tech companies like Meta and Google, bringing content closer to Nigerian users and improving access speeds," he stated.

According to him, local content hosting will improve both user experience and network efficiency.

Rufai emphasized the crucial need for enhanced data processing capabilities, which are being driven by huge increases in data usage and the creation of new services.

"We see a huge demand in the industry, and data usage is increasing significantly.

"And to cater to demand and prepare for future growth, MTN is expanding and modernising its data centre capacity," stated an MTN spokesperson.

According to him, the initiative is not just a technology investment, but also a driver of economic progress.


Rufai stated that having flexible and adaptive infrastructure would allow firms, particularly Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), to use cloud services and other digital solutions.

He emphasized that this will result in increased innovation, efficiency, and competitiveness across all sectors of the economy.

He emphasized MTN's willingness to work with startups and MSMEs, giving several chances for collaboration, notably in cloud services.

According to him, the data centre is in line with MTN's Ambition 2025 plan and demonstrates the company's commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives.

He stated that the facility would eventually use efficient cooling technologies and a mix of traditional energy sources, gas, and renewable energy.

Rufai emphasized the necessity of these energy measures, claiming they would greatly lower the country's carbon footprint.

According to him, cooling accounts for up to 60% of the electricity consumption of a conventional data centre in our climate; MTN's extremely efficient systems will ensure it achieves sustainability standards.

The MTN representative went on to say that as Nigeria's digital landscape evolved, the new data facility represented an important milestone.

He stated that it reflected a sustained commitment to innovation, quality, and growth, as well as a connected, modern lifestyle aimed at providing improved services, economic benefits, and a strong digital infrastructure for the future.