Equinix to pour $140 million into improving digital infrastructure in Southern Nigeria
Equinix Expands Digital Infrastructure in Southern Nigeria
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in Nigeria has established a Broadband Alliance aimed at building a national fiber backbone to tackle the digital divide. This initiative is part of a broader effort to close the broadband penetration gap in the country.
In response to this call, global data center provider Equinix is actively expanding its digital infrastructure in southern Nigeria. The company's latest investment of $140 million over the next two years is set to significantly impact the digital landscape in the region.
Equinix's expansion in southern Nigeria includes the opening of PR1, its first data center in Port Harcourt. This data center will also become the landing point for Meta's 2Africa submarine cable in Nigeria, increasing the region's bandwidth. Additionally, Equinix plans to expand LG3, its third facility in Lagos, to meet the rising demand for enterprise and cloud services.
Equinix's acquisition of MainOne in 2022 marked its official entry into the West African market. MainOne, now part of Equinix, operates a Tier III-certified facility (MDXi) directly connected to its subsea cable network. The company is investing an additional $140 million to further develop digital infrastructure in the region.
This expansion is expected to provide more reliable, scalable, and resilient digital infrastructure. The enhanced connectivity and capacity from Equinix’s investments facilitate improved access to cloud services, internet, and enterprise digital resources for local businesses, startups, and consumers. This will help bridge the gap in digital access and economic opportunity in the region.
Equinix’s focus on sustainability and renewable energy also aligns with broader infrastructure resilience. The company has opened expansions at its existing Lagos facility, including renewable energy initiatives such as solar farms, indicating a commitment to sustainable growth of its data centers there.
The investment is particularly impactful for Southern Nigeria, a region with a rapidly growing population and a vital role in the country's oil economy. By routing traffic over multiple cables on an active/active basis, Equinix aims to improve the resilience of the region's digital infrastructure.
Nigeria currently hosts eight submarine cable landings, including Google's Equiano and Meta's 2Africa. The launch of Equinix PR1 in Port Harcourt will significantly boost internet capacity in Southern Nigeria and support the geographical diversification of digital infrastructure.
Equinix's vendor-neutral platform and robust interconnection capabilities can help industry ecosystems form in West Africa and collaborate to grow the region's digital economy. This expansion is part of a wider global push by Equinix to expand digital infrastructure while adopting sustainable energy solutions to power data centers worldwide.
Nigeria requires an additional 95,000 kilometers of fiber infrastructure to achieve full national coverage and reach its target of 70% broadband penetration by 2025. Equinix's investment and expansion in southern Nigeria are significant steps towards bridging the digital divide and supporting the country's digital transformation.
- In the rapidly growing region of Southern Nigeria, with its vital role in the country's oil economy, Equinix's expansion of digital infrastructure, including the opening of PR1 data center in Port Harcourt and the development of LG3 in Lagos, will enhance local businesses', startups', and consumers' access to cloud services, internet, and enterprise digital resources, thus helping bridge the digital divide and fostering economic opportunity.
- As Equinix expands its digital infrastructure in Southern Nigeria, it is also committed to sustainable growth, with initiatives like solar farms at its Lagos facility, aiming to provide more reliable, scalable, and resilient digital infrastructure, while aligning with broader infrastructure resilience and promoting a greener digital economy in the region.
