Mohammed Rufai, the Chief Technical Officer of MTN Nigeria, has disclosed that the company is constructing a 1,500-rack Tier 4 data centre in Nigeria to improve the country’s digital infrastructure. He revealed this information during a media interview, highlighting the centre’s significance as Africa’s largest and its essential role in fulfilling the increasing data requirements and digital necessities of businesses and individuals across the nation. In Nigeria, tech companies are increasingly investing in data centres to improve digital infrastructure, with MTN recently announcing their own project as the most recent addition to this trend following Airtel Africa announcement of its NXTra data centre.
According to him, MTN decided to construct the facility due to the increased demand for enhanced data processing capacity, fuelled by the surge in data usage and the introduction of new services. The company recognized a substantial market need for expanded data capabilities as data usage continues to rise. In order to meet the increasing demand and plan for future expansions, they are currently increasing and updating their data centre capacity. This will guarantee that the company is well-equipped for growth when the time is right, he clarified.
This new facility will facilitate faster access speeds.
He stated that the facility will be a crucial asset for MTN’s Infrastructure and will cater to businesses throughout Nigeria. Companies seeking data centre capabilities can now avoid the hassle of maintaining their own server spaces. This centre will offer the necessary space and services, allowing businesses to modernize their processes and enhance productivity, Rufai pointed out. The facility will improve the delivery of content from top tech companies such as Meta and Google to Nigerian users, resulting in faster access speeds and better user experience.
The addition of local content hosting will greatly improve both user experience and network efficiency. He further emphasized the positive impact the project will have on Nigeria’s economy, stating that it is not only a technological Investment but also a driving force for economic development. With its scalable and flexible infrastructure, the project will empower businesses, especially Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), to take advantage of cloud services and other digital tools. He mentioned that this would lead to increased innovation, productivity, and competitiveness in different areas of the economy.
Tier 4 facilities offer the utmost data security for companies.
Rufai highlighted MTN’s willingness to collaborate with start-ups and MSMEs, providing a variety of partnership options, especially in the realm of cloud services. He stated that the establishment of the facility reflects MTN’s dedication to achieving its goals related to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) as part of the Ambition 2025 strategy. He mentioned that the establishment will incorporate advanced cooling Technology and a mix of conventional energy sources, gas, and Renewable Energy to minimize its environmental impact. Compared to other data centre tiers, Tier 4 facility, while costly to establish, operate, and upkeep in comparison with other tiers, offers the utmost Data Security for companies.
A Tier 4 data centre is classified as the top level certification within the Uptime Institute’s tier system for data centre performance. This facility offers premium service for critical infrastructure needs, guaranteeing that systems will remain operational in case of equipment failure. With full redundancy and fault tolerance, the risk of downtime is minimized, while high levels of Security provide added protection. Tier 4 customers, being the highest tier in terms of cost, usually consist of multinational companies that require a high volume of services.
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During a recent interview, Dr. Ayotunde Coker, the CEO of Open Access Data Centre (OADC), stated that Nigeria is on track to receive more than $600 million in investments from various projects that have been announced. He emphasized that this influx of investments will not only boost the Economy but also lead to the creation of new job opportunities. Research findings suggest that the environmental impact of investing $10 million in data centres could result in a systemic benefit ranging from 50 to 100 times the initial investment.