L-R: Akinbulejo Onabolu, senior manager, SME Segment, MTN Nigeria; Tony Ajah, programme director, Nigerian Innovation Summit; Zeinab Maduagwu, manager, Ventures & Partnerships, MTN Nigeria and Funsho Abiodun, manager, Data Center, MTN Nigeria, at the Nigerian Innovation Summit delegate tour of the MTN Dabengwa Data Centre, held on earlier this week.
MTN Nigeria has unveiled the Dabengwa Data Centre, a world-class Tier III modular facility built to anchor the nation’s next phase of digital transformation and it’s nothing short of monumental.
Named in honour of Sifiso Dabengwa, the late former MTN Group CEO, the centre is more than an infrastructure project. It’s a tribute to vision, progress, and Africa’s unstoppable digital ambition.
Standing tall in Ikeja, Lagos, the facility brings with it a staggering US$235 million investment, unfolding in two strategic phases. The first phase alone delivers 4.5 MW of IT load, 780 racks, and 96 prefabricated modules stacked across three floors — a modern-day digital fortress built for scale, resilience, and speed.
Compliant with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), the centre reinforces Nigeria’s digital sovereignty and meets global standards for uptime, security, and operational excellence. “This facility is the engine room for the next phase of Nigeria’s digital transformation,” said Akinbulejo Onabolu, Senior Manager, SME Segment at MTN Nigeria.
“It’s more than infrastructure; it’s a promise, one that ensures local businesses, startups, and public institutions can thrive in a world powered by secure, reliable connectivity.”
Delegates at the Nigerian Innovation Summit got a firsthand look at what the future feels like. Guided by Funsho Abiodun, MTN’s Data Centre Manager, they explored the high-tech labyrinth of cooling systems, power modules, and security frameworks that keep the centre running at full throttle , 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
And for many, it was a moment of pride and revelation. “Seeing the scale and sophistication of this facility is truly inspiring,” said Tony Ajah, Programme Director at the Nigerian Innovation Summit.
“This is what belief in Nigeria’s potential looks like, tangible, measurable, and transformative.”
The Dabengwa Data Centre isn’t just about racks, servers, and megawatts. It’s about possibility, for fintech innovators building smarter platforms, for government agencies digitising services, for businesses competing on a global stage, and for the millions of Nigerians stepping into a connected future.
MTN isn’t just building infrastructure. It’s building the foundation of a digital Nigeria, resilient, forward-looking, and ready for the world.
