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Africa Data Centres (ADC) embarks on construction of a new hyperscale data centre in Accra, Ghana
Africa Data Centres (ADC), the leading data centre provider across Africa, has declared the commencement of construction on its newest data centre in Accra, Ghana, which is expected to become the largest facility in West Africa, outside of Nigeria.
The announcement follows ADC’s acquisition of land in Accra’s Central Business District, where the company will develop a data centre designed for an initial capacity of 10MW, with room to expand up to 30MW. The project, positioned within the Ghana Trade Fair Redevelopment Project in La Dade Kotopon Municipal District, is partially funded by the United States government’s International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
The first phase of the project is expected to complete within a year, aligning with the company’s previously announced plans for a data centre in Ghana. Details about the size of the plot and acquisition cost remain undisclosed.
Previously a vast fairground established in the 1960s, the Ghana Trade Fair Centre site spans over 125 acres. In 2019, an agreement was signed between the Ghana Trade Fair Company and Stellar Holding Pte to develop a new commercial park on the site.
Tesh Durvasula, CEO of Africa Data Centres, emphasised the significance of the new data centre for the company’s larger objectives. “Our new data centre in Ghana is a considerable step towards Africa Data Centres’ goal of narrowing the digital divide in the West Africa region,” said Durvasula.
He explained that ADC specialises in hyperscale data centres, highly sought after by major US tech companies, multinational corporations, banks, and local enterprises. These centres are sustainably supported by independent solar and battery storage power, thus aligning digital advancement with environmental conscientiousness.
The Accra data centre is part of ADC’s ambitious expansion strategy, which encompasses 10 markets across Africa, including South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Rwanda, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Angola.
Scott Nathan, CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), lauded the ADC’s initiative, stating that DFC’s support towards the project aligns with President Biden’s commitment to mobilising private capital for quality global infrastructure investments that enhance living standards.
ADC’s expansion blueprint includes ongoing developments in Nairobi, Kenya; Lagos, Nigeria; Lomé, Togo; and Johannesburg, South Africa. Furthermore, ADC recently announced plans for its inaugural data centre in Kigali, Rwanda.
Group CEO for Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Hardy Pemhiwa, underlined the synergies between ADC and Liquid’s largest cross-border fibre network in Africa. “Our data centre footprint expansion complements this, enabling faster digital transformation on the continent,” he stated.
ADC’s venture joins other players in Accra’s data centre landscape, including PAIX Data Centres, Equinix-owned MaineOne, and Onix Data Centres. Additionally, logistics real estate firm Agility announced plans for a 30MW facility – expandable to 150MW – in Accra’s Tema area.
