The Promising Rise of Data Centres in Africa: An In-Depth Analysis of Uneven Growth

In an insightful piece featured on Biz Tech Africa, Tariff Consultancy Ltd (TCL), a renowned name specialising in data centre pricing, points out an intriguing trend shifting the tech landscape of Africa. The company notes that Nigeria and South Africa are leading the pack. Together, they account for approximately 60% of the total data centre space sprawled across the African continent.

As per TCL’s projection, Data Centre’s footprint in Africa will reach a staggering 107,000 square metres at the onset of 2015, growing at a steady pace of approximately 7 per cent yearly till 2020. This signifies a significant shift in the tech landscape across the continent, affecting not only the technological aspects but also the financial market and startup ecosystem.

This growth trajectory is not surprising considering that these two nations house more than 230 million citizens, a significant chunk of Africa’s total population of over 1 billion. Lagos, in particular, has emerged as a full-fledged entrepreneurship hub, earning the 19th rank among the most affordable and innovative cities globally, as featured in a Times magazine publication. Financial Times further identified Lagos and Johannesburg as hotspots of innovation, urging venture capitalists to direct their focus towards these burgeoning tech hubs.

In another enlightening discovery, TCL reported that new Carrier Neutral Data Centre spaces are being structured, a phenomenon not witnessed since 2012. These advanced facilities are making their way to Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tunisia, introducing superior pricing models and accommodating high density applications.

Furthermore, the report elucidates that carrier (Telco) data centre facilities account for nearly half of the all the raised floor space in Africa. In addition to this, the carrier neutral data centre operators have also seen phenomenal growth since 2012, further catalysing this development.

As Africa’s local app development space proliferates, the importance of reliable and affordable data centres is more pronounced than ever. Currently, most developers across the African continent store their data on overseas servers. It is this complex and evolving tech scenario that necessitates the sustained growth and development of local data centres.

This article was updated in 2025 to reflect modern realities.