By STELLAMARIS ASHINZE

MTN Nigeria on Saturday announced the construction of its West African largest data centre, a facility with a 1,500-rack and Tier 4 data centre within the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a Tier 4 data centre is built to be completely fault-tolerant, has redundancy for every component and an expected uptime of 99.995 per cent.

This means it can withstand a wide range of potential disruptions and offers the most reliable infrastructure.

The Chief Technical Officer, MTN, Mr Mohammed Rufai, told newsmen in Lagos that construction of the data centre was a move to enhance Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.

Rufai said that the data centre was set to play a pivotal role in meeting the growing data demands and digital needs of businesses and consumers across the country.

He said that the new data centre would support MTN’s infrastructure and serve as a vital resource for businesses across Nigeria.

“Businesses that require data centre capacity can now forgo maintaining their server rooms.

“Our facility will provide the space and services needed, enabling companies to digitalise their operations and improve efficiency.

“The data centre will also enhance the delivery of content from major tech companies like Meta and Google, bringing content closer to Nigerian users and improving access speeds,” he said.

According to him, this local hosting of content will significantly boost user experience and network efficiency.

Rufai highlighted the critical need for expanded data processing capabilities, driven by significant growth in data usage and the emergence of new services.

“We see a high demand in the market, with data usage growing significantly.

“And in order to cater to demand and prepare for future growth, MTN is expanding and modernising its data centre capacity,” the MTN official said.

According to him, the project is not just a technological investment but also a catalyst for economic growth.

Rufai said by providing scalable and adaptable infrastructure, it would enable businesses, particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), to leverage cloud services and other digital solutions.

He stressed that this would, in turn, drive innovation, efficiency, and competitiveness across various sectors of the economy.

He emphasised MTN’s readiness to partner with startups and MSMEs, offering numerous opportunities for collaboration, particularly in cloud services.

According to him, aligned with MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy, the data centre signals the company’s commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.

He said that the facility would eventually utilise efficient cooling systems and a combination of traditional energy sources, gas and renewable energy.

Rufai stressed the importance of these energy measures, saying it would significantly reduce its carbon footprint.

According to him, up to 60 per cent of the power consumption of a typical data centre in our clime is for cooling, MTN’s highly efficient systems will ensure it meets the sustainability targets.

The MTN official added that as Nigeria’s digital landscape advanced, the new data centre marked a significant milestone.

He said that it captured a continued drive for innovation, quality, growth and fostered a connected, modern life aiming to provide improved services, economic benefits and a strong digital infrastructure for the future. (NAN)

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