MTN Nigeria announces construction of West African largest data centre
Ralph Tathagata
MTN Nigeria has announced the construction of its West African largest data centre, a facility with a 1,500-rack and Tier 4 data centre within the country. The new data centre will support MTN’s infrastructure and serve as a vital resource for businesses across Nigeria.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Tier 4 data centre is built to be completely fault-tolerant, has redundancy for every component and an expected uptime of 99.995 per cent.
This means it can withstand a wide range of potential disruptions and offers the most reliable infrastructure.
Mohammed Rufai, Chief Technical Officer of MTN Nigeria, told newsmen in Lagos that construction of the data centre was a move to enhance Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
Rufai said that the data centre was set to play a pivotal role in meeting the growing data demands and digital needs of businesses and consumers across the country.
“Businesses that require data centre capacity can now forgo maintaining their server rooms.
“Our facility will provide the space and services needed, enabling companies to digitalise their operations and improve efficiency.
‘’The data centre 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 said.
Explaining that the local hosting of content will significantly boost user experience and network efficiency, Rufai highlighted the critical need for expanded data processing capabilities, driven by significant growth in data usage and the emergence of new services.
“We see a high demand in the market, with data usage growing significantly.
“And to cater to demand and prepare for future growth, MTN is expanding and modernising its data centre capacity,” the MTN official said.
He mentioned that the project is not just a technological investment but also a catalyst for economic growth. Aligned with MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy, Rufai noted that the data centre signals the company’s commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.
The facility, he added, would eventually utilise efficient cooling systems and a combination of traditional energy sources, gas and renewable energy. He also stressed the importance of the energy measures, saying it would significantly reduce the company’s carbon footprint.
“Up to 60 per cent of the power consumption of a typical data centre in our clime is for cooling, MTN’s highly efficient systems will ensure it meets the sustainability targets.
“As Nigeria’s digital landscape advanced, the new data centre marks a significant milestone. It captures our continued drive for innovation, quality, and growth and fosters a connected, modern life aiming to provide improved services, economic benefits and a strong digital infrastructure for the future,” Rufai concluded.
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