MTN Nigeria has taken a bold step toward strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure by unveiling a $150 million data centre and a new cloud services platform.

These investments are part of the company’s broader strategy to support Nigeria’s digital economy and transition into a full-fledged technology company.

Named in honour of former MTN Group CEO Sifiso Dabengwa, the state-of-the-art facility is located in Ikeja, Lagos. It is the first of its kind by a telecom operator in Nigeria.

The centre, designed to Tier III standards, currently has an IT load capacity of 4.5 megawatts, scalable to 14 megawatts over the next two years. It spans three floors, housing 96 pre-fabricated modular units and offering 1,500 rack spaces.

At the launch event on July 1, MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola said the company had invested over $150 million so far and was committed to expanding further under its Vision 2025. This vision is anchored on three pillars: connectivity, infrastructure, and digital platforms, including fintech.

Toriola noted that the facility, which offers services on a pay-as-you-go basis and is priced in naira, would help reduce operating costs for Nigerian businesses while promoting data sovereignty.

He said:

“With the data centre launch, MTN is at the forefront of Nigeria’s digital space, and ready to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) needs across the country, as we expand the capacity of the data centre facility."

He added that the data centre is expected to enhance local data hosting, protect against cyber threats, and align with national data protection policies.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, who was the special guest of the event and the first citizen to be unveiled at the data centre, described the investment as a vital platform for young tech talent, startups, and creators to build and scale globally from Nigerian soil.

Tijani said:

"This facility is a testament to what is possible when a national vision meets private sector goals. And it's this kind of infrastructure that powers the one trillion-dollar economy that we're aiming to build.”

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, praised the project for reinforcing Nigeria’s status as the digital backbone of West Africa.

Sanwo-Olu said:

"The launch of the Dabengwa Data Center in Lagos not only signifies MTN's unwavering commitment to investing in Nigeria's digital infrastructure, but also reinforces the strategic importance of Lagos as a technology and innovation hub of our nation."

With capabilities comparable to global hyperscale providers, the data centre is set to meet rising demand for enterprise-grade digital infrastructure and fuel innovation across the Nigerian tech ecosystem.

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Source: Legit.ng