Airtel Africa has announced plans to set up a new state-of-the-art data center in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of its broader strategy to diversify revenue streams and strengthen its presence in the continent’s digital infrastructure space.
The upcoming facility, which will have a capacity of 7 megawatts (MW), will be the company’s second data center in Africa, following the launch of a similar initiative in Nigeria. The Nairobi-based data center is projected to be completed by mid-2026 and will serve the telecommunications sector alongside other industries, enhancing data accessibility and lowering operational costs.
Supporting innovation
According to Airtel Africa’s CEO, the Nigeria project will break ground within two weeks, with construction in Kenya to follow soon after. Each data center is expected to take approximately two years to complete. Notably, the Nigerian facility will be larger, boasting a capacity of 36MW.
The company emphasizes that these developments mark a pivotal shift in its business model, aiming to support innovation, bolster digital services, and nurture emerging tech talent across Africa. Both centers will operate commercially and are seen as integral to Airtel Africa’s long-term digital infrastructure portfolio.
The Nairobi facility also aligns with the launch of Nxtra, Airtel Africa’s dedicated data hub, introduced in December 2023. Nxtra is focused on creating a widespread network of secure and sustainable data centers across major African cities to meet the growing demand for cloud and digital services.
Airtel Africa has been expanding its footprint in Kenya in recent years, making notable investments in voice and mobile money services. The data center initiative represents a continued effort to diversify the company’s offerings and position itself as a key player in Africa’s fast-evolving digital economy.