Airtel Africa has commenced the construction of its first data centre in Lagos as part of the company’s new data centre business, Nxtra. The project is expected to create over 1000 jobs for Nigerians, with 250 of those jobs being permanent once the centre is fully operational.
The Nxtra data centre in Lagos is set to provide 38 megawatts of power and high-density racks built with the latest best practices to attain 1.3 power use effectiveness (PUE). The centre is set to go live in Q1 2026.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Segun Ogunsanya, the company’s Group CEO, stated that the Nxtra project is a critical component of the company’s growth strategy and represents a watershed moment in the company’s history. The focus is on Nigeria, the company’s largest market. Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also emphasized the significance of the Nxtra project in data control, security, and preservation throughout Africa.
Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, highlighted the opportunities for the economy and businesses in a future powered by Artificial Intelligence and data centres. Tijani emphasized that data is a key driver in the economy, and investments like Airtel’s in the Nigerian economy would enable the country to participate fully in the digital economy.
