(Ecofin Agency) - As data demands grow across sectors like fintech, telecoms, e-commerce, and cloud services, the new data center offers mission-critical infrastructure to support enterprise growth, data sovereignty, and digital innovation

Rack Centre has officially commissioned its newest data center, LGS2, marking a major leap in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure capabilities. The commissioning took place on Thursday, April 10, and was officiated by Lagos State Governor Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, represented by Deputy Chief of Staff Mr. Sam Egube.

In his welcome address, Mr. Maher Jarmakani, Chairman and CEO of Jagal Group, the majority shareholder of Rack Centre, highlighted the vision and resilience behind the project: “This milestone is a testament to Nigerian innovation, engineering excellence, and our belief in Africa’s digital potential.”

With a 12MW IT load, six data halls, and the lowest design Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) in the region, the facility sets a new benchmark for data centre performance and sustainability in Africa. The Tier III facility, located in Lagos, boasts 3,240 square meters of white space and is designed to support high-availability, scalable, and energy-efficient IT operations.

Local data centres help reduce costs related to data transit and bandwidth, especially for SMEs and startups. The African data center market is projected to grow by 50% in terms of capacity by 2026, according to the Data Centres in Africa Focus Report 2024 by the Oxford Business Group, in collaboration with the Africa Data Centers Association.

With increased local capacity, more data can be hosted within African borders, improving compliance with data protection regulations and reducing reliance on international data routes. This enhances digital sovereignty, data security, and legal jurisdiction over sensitive content.

The commissioning of Rack Centre’s new new facility is a critical development for Nigeria’s digital transformation, offering significant benefits in data infrastructure, tech industry growth, and national economic competitiveness. The center’s capabilities provide the foundation for innovation and allow Nigerian tech startups to scale faster.

Hikmatu Bilali