MTN Nigeria has officially commissioned a Tier-3 data centre in Lagos, a $150 million investment completed over three years. The facility, named the Dabengwa Data Centre, is expected to significantly accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation and contribute to the country’s ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy.
The commissioning event was held in Lagos and attended by top government officials, business leaders, and technology stakeholders. The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, who presided over the launch, praised MTN for delivering a state-of-the-art facility that he said would “leapfrog the country into a globally recognized digital economy.”
“You cannot build a modern economy without modern infrastructure,” Dr. Tijani stated. “This data centre is not just an MTN achievement—it is a national asset that underpins digital sovereignty and economic productivity. It creates a platform for our young people to thrive, innovate, and compete globally.”
With an initial capacity of 4.5 megawatts, the centre is designed to expand to 14 megawatts within the next 24 months. It is the largest prefabricated data centre in West Africa, built in collaboration with Dell Technologies, and will host cloud services designed for enterprise clients, startups, and government institutions.
Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, described the facility as a milestone in MTN’s mission to provide secure, scalable, and locally managed digital platforms.
“Our investment reflects MTN’s firm commitment to Nigeria’s digital future,” Toriola said. “We are offering a solution that meets the growing demand for local data hosting and cloud computing, which is key to unlocking efficiency and innovation for Nigerian businesses.”
He emphasized that the facility would allow companies to store and access data locally, reducing costs and improving access speeds compared to foreign-based hyperscalers. The centre supports AI-driven energy optimization, with green energy integration to minimize its carbon footprint, aligning with MTN’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles.
Toriola added, “This isn’t just a technological investment—it’s a strategic leap toward digital sovereignty. We’re empowering local innovators, providing competitive cloud services in naira, and keeping data within Nigeria’s borders.”
Named after the late Sitiso Dabengwa, a former CEO of MTN Nigeria and Group CEO of MTN, the data centre is a tribute to his contributions to MTN’s growth and Nigeria’s telecom development.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Bimbo Salu-Hundeyin, highlighted the significance of the data centre’s location.
“This reinforces Lagos as the heartbeat of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem,” she said. “With this Tier-3 facility, MTN is enabling startups, enterprises, and public institutions to scale innovation locally and globally.”
In his goodwill message, Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), represented by Engr. Babagana Digima, commended MTN’s leadership in digital innovation.
“This infrastructure is vital to achieving our national broadband goals and supporting secure, high-quality telecommunications services,” Maida said, noting the Commission’s ongoing commitment to cybersecurity, data protection, and regulatory standards.
Also speaking at the event, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Nigeria, unveiled the upcoming MTN Cloud Accelerator for Africa a support programme for tech startups, offering training and tools to scale digital solutions locally and beyond.
“This launch takes Nigeria into a new tech era. The cloud accelerator will support innovators with the resources they need to compete globally,” Saint-Nwafor said.
The centre will serve as a springboard for MTN’s growing suite of enterprise services and digital platforms, offering businesses in Nigeria and across West Africa a secure, high-performance alternative to offshore cloud providers.
As the Nigerian digital economy grows projected to reach a data centre capacity of 279.4MW by 2030—the Dabengwa Data Centre is a critical step in ensuring the country has the infrastructure required to lead Africa’s digital transformation.
