You’ve probably heard the stats. People love to say Africa has less than 1% of the world’s data center capacity. It’s a favorite line for keynote speakers at tech conferences. But honestly? That "1% statistic" is becoming a total distraction from what is actually happening on the ground right now.
The real africa data center news isn't about how far behind the continent is. It’s about the massive, high-stakes sprint that just kicked off in early 2026. We are seeing a fundamental shift from "talking about potential" to "pouring concrete and plugging in racks."
If you look at the moves made by companies like Equinix, Raxio, and Africa Data Centres (ADC) over the last few months, it's clear the map is being redrawn. It isn't just about South Africa and Egypt anymore. Lagos is exploding. Nairobi is becoming a geothermal tech hub. Even markets like Luanda and Casablanca are suddenly seeing "Tier III" facilities pop up where there used to be nothing but empty lots.
The AI GPU Race Hits the Continent
One of the wildest things happening in the africa data center news space right now is the sudden pivot to AI-ready infrastructure.
For a long time, African data centers were basically just glorified storage rooms for banks and telcos. That changed fast. Cassava Technologies—the parent company of Africa Data Centres—recently committed over $700 million to build out AI-focused high-performance computing (HPC) facilities. We’re talking about deploying thousands of NVIDIA GPUs.
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Think about that for a second.
By mid-2025, they were already aiming for 3,000 GPUs in South Africa alone. Now, as we move through 2026, the goal is scaling to 12,000 GPUs across Nigeria, Kenya, and Morocco. This isn’t just for "the cloud." It’s for indigenous AI. It’s for startups in Lagos and Cairo who need to train models on local data without the massive latency of sending everything to a server in Dublin or Marseille.
It's kinda funny how quickly the conversation shifted. Two years ago, people were worried about basic 4G connectivity. Now, the biggest players are arguing over liquid cooling and "rack density."
Nigeria: The $2.9 Billion Gamble
If you want to see where the real money is flowing, look at Nigeria.
Honestly, the energy situation there is still a nightmare. Everybody knows it. The national grid is, to put it politely, "unreliable." Yet, the investment numbers are staggering. We are looking at a projected $2.94 billion in data center investments in Nigeria between 2025 and 2030.
Equinix just broke ground on its LG3 facility in Lagos, which is supposed to open its doors in early 2026. This isn't just another building. It’s their first purpose-built site in West Africa since they bought MainOne. They’re dropping $22 million on this phase alone, part of a much larger $100 million plan.
Why Lagos?
Basically, it’s the subsea cables.
- Equiano (Google) 2. 2Africa (Meta) 3. Peace Cable These cables are like massive digital arteries landing on the coast. But a cable landing is useless if you don't have a place to put the data. That’s why Open Access Data Centres (OADC) is pushing a 24 MW facility in Lagos, with the first 12 MW chunk expected to be live later this year.
Kenya’s "Green" Edge
While Nigeria fights the power grid, Kenya is playing a totally different game.
Nairobi is currently the darling of the hyperscalers because of one thing: Geothermal energy. Microsoft and G42 have already put a billion dollars on the table for a 100 MW green data center in the Naivasha geothermal zone.
Using the Earth's heat to power AI servers? It sounds like sci-fi, but it’s the most practical way to lower the "Power Usage Effectiveness" (PUE) scores that companies are obsessed with. In Kenya, the grid is already over 60% renewable. For a company like Amazon or Microsoft, that makes meeting ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) targets way easier than trying to run a diesel generator in a Lagos suburb.
The Sovereignty Factor
You can't talk about africa data center news without mentioning "Data Sovereignty."
Governments are finally waking up. Countries like Nigeria and Kenya are tightening rules about where sensitive data—health records, financial transactions, government IDs—can be stored. They don’t want it sitting in a "Black Box" in Northern Virginia.
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This is a huge tailwind for local operators. ST Digital recently announced a new national data center for Gabon. Niger is setting up a "National Committee for Critical Digital Infrastructure." Morocco just launched an "AI Made in Morocco" program.
The message is clear: If you want to do business here, your data needs to live here.
The Reality Check: It’s Not All Sunshine
I'd be lying if I said this was all smooth sailing. Dr. Krishnan Ranganath from Africa Data Centres recently pointed out something that most people ignore.
"Building data centers is the easiest thing," he basically said. "But they must be connected."
The transmission lines in many regions are ancient. You can build a shiny $50 million Tier III facility, but if the fiber optic cables leading to it are constantly being dug up by road crews, or if the power lines can't handle the load, you've just built a very expensive concrete block.
There's also a massive talent gap. We need more than just buildings; we need the people who know how to run them. The "State of African Energy 2026 Outlook" report notes that while we need about 700 new facilities to meet future demand, the "human capacity" side of the equation is lagging way behind.
Practical Next Steps for 2026
If you are an investor, a tech lead, or just someone trying to keep up with the africa data center news cycle, here is what you should actually be watching:
- Follow the Power, Not Just the Population: Lagos has the people, but Kenya and Morocco have the stable (and green) power. Watch for "edge" facilities in smaller, power-stable cities.
- Watch the "Big Four" vs. The Newcomers: South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt still hold 46% of the market. However, the real "alpha" for investors is moving into Angola, Côte d'Ivoire, and Morocco.
- Check the Certifications: Don't trust a press release that says "World Class." Look for Uptime Institute Tier III certifications. Raxio has been winning this game lately, picking up certifications in DRC, Ethiopia, and Mozambique.
- Interconnection is King: A data center is only as good as its "meet-me room." Look for facilities that host "Equinix Fabric" or similar interconnection platforms that allow businesses to link directly to AWS or Azure without going over the public internet.
The 2026 landscape is moving away from "if we build it, they will come" toward a much more aggressive, AI-driven infrastructure race. It's messy, it's expensive, and it's happening faster than the global reports can track.