MTN And Dell Technologies Unveil Nigeria’s Largest Prefabricated Modular Data Centre
L-R: Modupe Kadri, Chief Financial Officer, MTN Nigeria; Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman, MTN Nigeria; Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy; Barr. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, Secretary to the Lagos State Government, (representative of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, CON) and Dr. Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, at the launch of the Sifiso Dabengwa Data Centre, West Africa’s largest prefabricated Modular data centre, in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, July 1
Leading Nigerian tech company, MTN Nigeria, in a landmark collaboration with Dell Technologies, announced the official launch of the Dabengwa Data Centre, a state-of-the-art facility poised to revolutionise enterprise IT infrastructure across West Africa with its comprehensive cloud services offering.
This strategic partnership delivers computing power, secure storage, and seamless cloud integration, empowering businesses to enhance operational efficiency, maintain regulatory compliance, and accelerate digital transformation within a trusted, locally hosted environment.
This initiative underscores MTN’s ambition to evolve beyond a traditional telecommunications provider into a leading tech, a trusted technology partner dedicated to delivering innovative digital solutions.
The Dabengwa Data Centre is a testament to MTN’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s digital economy and providing scalable data solutions for businesses of all sizes, enabling them to compete effectively on the global stage.
The Dabengwa Data Centre stands as West Africa’s largest prefabricated modular data centre in Nigeria, using 96 prefabricated containers for Phase-1, setting a new benchmark for technological advancement and infrastructure scale in the region. Designed with the future in mind, the data centre incorporates AI-driven energy optimisation and robust hybrid cloud capabilities, ensuring unparalleled performance and flexibility for its clients.
Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, said: “The MTN Data centre is part of the digital foundation of Nigeria’s modern economy that we seek -one that provides, and will continue to provide world-class reliability, so that we can keep our money local. We don’t have to ship it out in dollars.” He described the data centre as “excellent.”
While thanking MTN for providing the platform that will help accelerate Nigeria’s critical sectors, from fintech, healthcare, education platforms, and artificial intelligence, Tijani said that it is “only through this kind of infrastructure we can truly enable sovereignty, trust, but also national productivity.”
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State’s Government, Barrister Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, said: “Investments like this one that we’re here to launch offer a platform for our young people to be able to thrive. Enterprise-grade infrastructure on our own soil, giving start-ups, developers, and data creators the ability to build and scale from Nigeria to the world. With this facility, MTN is reinforcing Nigeria’s position as the digital backbone of West Africa.” She emphasised that due to the location of the data centre, Lagos State now had the “bragging rights.”
The Nigerian data centre market is experiencing significant growth, with projections indicating an increase from 136.7 MW in 2025 to 279.4 MW by 2030, representing a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.37%.
This growth is further supported by substantial investments, with data centre operators committing over $630 million to expand capacity in Nigeria.
Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, represented by Engr. Babagaba Digima, Deputy Director, New Media and Information Security Department, said: “Today marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s digital sovereignty and technological independence. The infrastructure we celebrate here today embodies our collective vision of a digitally empowered Nigeria.”
Commending MTN for being at the forefront of digital innovation in Nigeria, Engr. Digima said that “The Commission remains committed to creating an environment that supports innovation while ensuring the highest standards of cybersecurity, data
He added that at the commissioning, “we will continue to work closely with operators to ensure that critical infrastructure deployment meets robust standards our digital economy deserves.”
AI-driven energy optimisation is a cornerstone of the Dabengwa Data Centre’s design. Artificial intelligence algorithms intelligently manage workloads and optimise energy sources, including the utilisation of green energy, to significantly reduce the facility’s carbon footprint. This commitment to efficiency ensures that businesses leveraging the Dabengwa Data Centre benefit from a sustainable and cost-effective infrastructure.
“Today is a significant day for Nigeria,” said Dr. Ernest Ndukwe (OFR), Chairman of MTN Nigeria. “Setting up the infrastructure of this size is not an easy task. And I want to seize the opportunity to thank those who have been working tirelessly to make it happen.”
MTN Nigeria CEO, Dr. Karl Toriola, stated: “Today is not simply the commissioning of the state-of-the-art data centre and launch of a new cloud platform, it is a lot more. It is a representation of technological advancements that focuses on the development of a state-of-the-art commissioning and data-centric architecture in line with the direction and policy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He added that the data centre, which cost about $150 million, “is a significant leap in the data landscape to meet the increasing demand of Nigerian businesses for solutions that focus on growth and innovation.”
Speaking on the data centre and MTN Cloud, which was also unveiled to help Nigerian businesses and boost the country’s digital eco-system, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at MTN Nigeria, said that the innovation has launched Nigeria into a new tech era.
“A few weeks from now, we’ll launch the MTN Cloud Accelerator for Africa. This isn’t just another accelerator, but one that would empower the Nigerian tech ecosystem for growth,” she said.
The MTN Cloud Accelerator Program is tailored to support startups in the ecosystem with the training and resources they need to thrive.
The MTN Cloud was built in Africa but can be accessed by local and global businesses.
The launch of the Dabengwa Data Centre aligns with Nigeria’s strategic push for digital sovereignty and regulatory compliance.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has finalised a data classification framework that encourages cloud service providers to establish local operations in Nigeria, mandating that certain categories of sensitive data, including health, financial, and government data, must be hosted within Nigeria.
By providing a world-class, locally hosted environment, the Dabengwa Data Centre enables international cloud service providers to meet these critical regulatory requirements, fostering greater trust and security in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
This move is a significant step towards enhancing national security and attracting further investment in the country’s digital infrastructure.
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