Nigeria’s data centre market is on track for massive expansion, with total installed capacity projected to rise from 56.1 megawatts (MW) in 2025 to more than 218MW by 2030, a nearly fourfold increase in just five years.
According to a new report by Estate Intel, this surge reflects the country’s growing digital economy and the resilience of the data infrastructure sector, which has consistently outperformed other real estate categories since the pandemic.
Rapid Growth Since the Pandemic
The report highlights that Nigeria’s data centre industry has maintained an average annual growth rate of 21% since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of digital infrastructure. This steady growth is expected to continue through 2030, fuelled by increasing cloud adoption, fintech expansion, and digital transformation initiatives.
Between 2020 and 2024, Nigeria completed 14 new data centres, each with a median capacity of 1.5MW. Over the next five years, the median capacity of new builds is expected to triple to 4.5MW, marking a clear shift toward larger, enterprise-grade facilities.
Key Players Driving Expansion
Major international and local operators are accelerating investments to meet rising demand:
- Equinix is constructing a 20MW data centre in Alaro City, Lagos.
- Airtel Africa is developing a 35MW Nxtra Data Centre in Eko Atlantic City.
- Open Access Data Centres (OADC) is building a 24MW facility along the Lekki Corridor.
These projects will significantly boost Nigeria’s data hosting capacity and strengthen the country’s position as a key digital hub in Africa.
Digital Transformation and Economic Impact
The continued growth of the data centre sector aligns with Nigeria’s digital economy goals, which prioritize local data storage, digital payments, and cloud-based services.
As global tech giants and hyperscale providers expand into the Nigerian market, the country’s connectivity infrastructure and investment appeal are expected to rise, unlocking new opportunities across fintech, e-commerce, and enterprise solutions.
Outlook: Nigeria as an Emerging Data Hub
With a projected capacity of 218MW by 2030, Nigeria is well-positioned to become one of Africa’s leading data centre markets, rivaling regional powerhouses like South Africa and Kenya.
The combination of strong private investment, government support, and rising digital demand places Nigeria at the forefront of the continent’s next wave of digital infrastructure growth.
