Telecom
Digital Economy Offers Potentials for Data Centres – Durvasula
Tesh Durvasula was recently appointed chief executive officer of Africa Data Centre. In a chat with chike onwuegbuchi, he explained the potentials of ADC’s new facility located in Lagos.
What is the potential of the business in Lagos where there are more than 5 data centres?
Firstly, I’d like to say that there’s tremendous growth in the need for digital tools and services across the world. Africa is no different, and its citizens, like all others around the world, want to enjoy the same benefits that participating in a digital economy offer.
However, to provide these services you need infrastructure such as fibre optics and data centres, and cassava technologies centres around bringing these services and more to Africa. Africa’s population is a young one, and they estimate that over the next 10 years, the largest number of the population will be in the 18 to 35 range.
While other nations and continents such as Europe and North America, have an ageing population. Our population is only getting younger, and they want to do things differently. They all have smartphones, which is like having a supercomputer in their pocket, and they are excited and eager to participate in this new economy.
There’s no doubt that Nigeria is leading this charge, and I am sure that we are underestimating the capacity we need. Africa is going to be a place where digital infrastructure will continue to expand, across Africa.
Reports estimate that we need 1000MW and 700 facilities to meet Africa’s growing demands and bring the rest of the continent to a level place in terms of capacity and density, but if history has taught us anything in this industry, and I’ve been in this industry for 25 plus years, is that our ability to underestimate the demand side of this equation has been unbelievable. I believe we are underestimating Africa’s demand, much like we underestimated in in Europe and Asia. We are not worried about business in Lagos at all.
Challenge of power and Data centre business that requires 24/7 power supply.
Electrical supply is a global problem at the moment. We’re leading up to a year in North America, you’re waiting up to two years in parts of Europe, and those trying to get power in the north of London right now, could be waiting till 2025.
Nigeria is not unique in this situation. The electrical supply and the demands on our electrical grids as a planet, have continued to increase, and people are working hard to meet this demand as more investment comes into Africa, and into local cities, municipalities and jurisdictions for for operating companies.
You’re going to see that, and we have a new renewable energy platform platform called Distributed Power Technologies or DPT, which is part of the Cassava Group, and Africa Data Centres taking advantage of our relationship with DPT to help us meet that need. DPT developing a 10MWp solar PV power plant for our new Lagos data centre.
We aim to work closely with them, to ensure that our clients are guaranteed the most reliable data centre services.
In fact, we believe that advancements in storage technology will play a crucial role in emerging commercial and industrial markets, and this will lessen the intermittency of renewables, and at the same time, will provide redundancy during blackouts.
DPT is also working alongside Tesla to utilise its Megapack battery storage technology which will be deployed at off-site solar farms and will store the excess power that is generated during the day, greatly increasing the availability of dispatchable energy.
These will also be installed within our data centres, where storage is becoming a practical solution to carry sites when blackouts occur.
Target for locating your facility in Lagos
No, as with all our data centre investments in key areas on the continent, our new 10MW facility in Lagos will serve a hub for the entire West-Africa region.
What makes your facility different from others
At Africa Data Centres, we pride ourselves on being is the largest network of 100% interconnected, carrier- and cloud-neutral data centre facilities on the continent.
What also sets us apart is our commitment to lowering our carbon footprint, and as a company that promotes sustainability, we cannot emphasise enough that there will be no question of sacrificing the environment to carry out our ambitious digitisation plans.
This is a trade-off Africa Data Centres is simply not even prepared to contemplate. Our strategy goes far beyond boosting out bottom line, for us, it is all about empowering and uplifting Africa’s citizens, protecting the environment, and uplifting the economy. We are not just here for the money, we are here to provide jobs, and help Africa achieve its digital ambitions.
Competing with global brands and organisations’ interest
Although hyperscale providers such as AWS, Azure and Google have global cloud services built upon an extensive network of self-built data centres, they do not have Africa-based facilities, creating latency and sovereignty issues and hampering the growth of their cloud offerings in the region.
Nigeria is one of the Africa Data Centres key markets on the continent, because Nigerians are eager for digitisation, as organisations of every type and size in Africa accelerate their digital transformation journeys in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the recently launched Cassava Technologies group, Africa Data Centres plays a critical role when it comes to providing this very digital infrastructure that is needed to support the mass adoption of digital services for consumers and business in the region.
What 10mw Data Centre facility means
Our new 10MW Lagos facility was built by us in response to the soaring demand Africa Data Centres has seen from hyper-scalers, key cloud operators as well as multi-national enterprises that already employ our services and have shown a sharp interest in being a part of bringing digitisation at scale to the West Africa region.
Megawatts of MW are used to measure the output of a power plant, or the amount of electricity required by an entire city. One megawatt is equal to 1,000 kilowatts, or 1,000,000 watts. Power is the key element that brings a data centre facility to life and it is what keeps customers’ IT infrastructure up and running even in the event of a disruption.
Power is the most critical element of any data centre. In the data centre sector, megawatts are reserved for wholesale colocation providers that require enough power for thousands of servers, customers and their and related IT hardware.
About Tesh the new Chief Executive Officer of Africa Data Centres
In my new role as Chief Executive Officer of Africa Data Centres, I will be charged with driving growth, innovation and strategy of Cassava Technologies’ data centres to meet Africa’s rapidly growing demand for data and digital infrastructure.
I am an experienced technology and real estate industry executive with a proven, 25-year track record of successful leadership and value generation in the digital infrastructure sector.
I hope to lead the Africa Data Centres team as we rapidly expand our footprint of hyper scale data centres throughout Africa with a plan to add an additional ten data centres in the top ten economic centres in Africa. Before joining Africa Data Centres, I served in a variety of executive roles at CyrusOne, culminating in his appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of the company.
And, before that, I served as president of Europe operations for CyrusOne, overseeing CyrusOne’s expansion into England, Ireland, France and Germany, helping grow CONE into one of the largest publicly traded REIT’s in the US.
I believe the potential to grow digital infrastructure is bigger in Africa than anywhere else across the globe and this will present a number of opportunities for economic transformation. I am extremely pleased to have joined Africa Data Centres and Cassava Technologies, particularly now as Africa has become one of the fastest-growing data usage regions in the world. I feel we are well poised to make an invaluable contribution to Africa’s rapidly developing digital ecosystem.
Nigeria is strengthening its position as a leading digital economy in Africa as it prepares to host the second edition of GITEX Nigeria, against projections that the continent’s artificial intelligence (AI) economy could generate up to $1 trillion in economic value by 2035.
GITEX Nigeria
GITEX Nigeria, described as West Africa’s largest technology, AI and startup event, is scheduled to hold in Abuja and Lagos from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3, under the patronage of President Bola Tinubu.
The event is supported by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), endorsed by the Lagos State Government and organised by KAOUN International.
With the theme, “Beyond Connectivity: The Bridge to Sovereign Innovation,” the 2026 edition is expected to bring together global technology companies, investors, policymakers, regulators, startups and other stakeholders to advance Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
According to the organisers, the event will focus on strengthening digital resilience, scaling AI infrastructure, attracting strategic investments and building partnerships to support digital sovereignty across Nigeria and West Africa.
Nigeria’s progress in digital skills development is expected to feature prominently at the event, with the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme highlighted as a major intervention.
The programme has recorded 1.87 million registrations across all 774 local government areas, while more than 135,000 Nigerians have been trained through three cohorts.
The programme has also extended learning opportunities to more than 300,000 people through community resources and created 15,000 job and opportunity pathways, according to figures released by the organisers.
Another key initiative, Project BRIDGE, is aimed at expanding Nigeria’s national ICT backbone and improving connectivity in underserved communities.
The project is expected to create up to 20,000 direct jobs and more than 150,000 indirect jobs, train 5,000 Nigerian youths, raise internet penetration above 70 per cent and extend high-speed connectivity to millions of households, businesses, schools and hospitality establishments.
Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, said Nigeria’s objective was to build the foundations for digital sovereignty and a globally competitive AI-powered economy.
“Building on the momentum forged through the implementation of Project BRIDGE, our national blueprint for expanding digital infrastructure and connecting communities across Nigeria, our aspiration ahead of this year’s edition is clear: to solidify the foundations Africa needs for digital sovereignty, technological self-determination, and a globally competitive AI-powered economy,” Tijani said.
He said Nigeria was seeking to promote equitable access, accelerate cross-continental progress and position the country as a producer and exporter of digital technologies and AI solutions.
The GITEX Nigeria Government Leadership and AI Summit will open in Abuja on Aug. 31, bringing together ministers, governors and regulators to discuss digital public infrastructure and other issues shaping West Africa’s digital economy.
The GITEX Nigeria Tech Expo and Future Economy Conference, as well as the Startup Festival, will also return for the second consecutive year.
A new component, FDX Nigeria by GITEX, will focus on finance and digital asset exchange, with the organisers describing it as a platform designed to promote financial inclusion and connect emerging technology with global capital.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said the state remained central to Africa’s digital transformation, noting its role in attracting talent, capital and innovation.
He said hosting GITEX Nigeria would further support Lagos’ ambition of becoming a smarter, more connected and globally competitive economy.
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of NITDA, said Nigeria’s digital future would depend not only on technology adoption but also on resilience, trust and effective governance frameworks.
“GITEX NIGERIA seamlessly complements this mandate, creating a unique environment for the dialogue needed to accelerate responsible AI adoption, develop a secure digital economy, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and economic growth,” Abdullahi said.
He said the expertise, investment and partnerships generated through the event would contribute to building an AI ecosystem that was secure, inclusive and capable of supporting Nigeria and West Africa’s long-term competitiveness.
The organisers said Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, 3MTT programme and Project BRIDGE were among initiatives strengthening the country’s capacity in talent development, digital infrastructure, investment attraction and responsible AI adoption.
They said GITEX Nigeria would provide an avenue for global stakeholders to establish partnerships and develop solutions capable of accelerating the region’s digital transformation.
Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of GITEX, said the event was intended to demonstrate that West Africa was ready to convert technological ambition into economic growth, resilience and global competitiveness.
She said GITEX Nigeria would facilitate strategic conversations and partnerships aimed at strengthening regional competitiveness and unlocking scalable growth across Nigeria and West Africa.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Enugu State Government have signed an agreement for the operational lease of the NCC Digital Industrial Park and NCC Learning Centre in Enugu.
The agreement was witnessed by Dr Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, alongside members of the Commission’s Board and Management.
The development is expected to strengthen digital innovation, skills development and technology-driven opportunities in the state.
As part of the engagement, the NCC delegation also visited the Enugu Smart School Initiative, where technology is being integrated into teaching and learning.
The initiative is aimed at equipping young Nigerians with relevant digital skills and preparing them for future opportunities in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
The NCC said it remained committed to supporting initiatives that expand digital inclusion, strengthen innovation and develop the talent required to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation.
The Commission said partnerships with state governments and other stakeholders were critical to creating an enabling environment for digital skills development and technology adoption across the country.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to make dedicated budgetary provisions for cybersecurity as part of efforts to strengthen the resilience of Nigeria’s communications infrastructure against the growing wave of cyber threats.
The directive forms part of the Commission’s Cyber Resilience Framework for the Nigerian Communications Sector (CRF-NCS), which introduces new governance, risk management and operational requirements aimed at safeguarding the country’s critical telecommunications infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.
Under the framework, all licensed telecom operators are expected to establish formal cybersecurity governance structures, dedicate adequate financial resources to cyber resilience programmes, and integrate cybersecurity into their enterprise-wide risk management processes.
The Commission said operators must ensure cybersecurity investments are no longer treated as optional operational expenses but as strategic business priorities necessary to protect network infrastructure, customer information and the country’s digital economy.
According to the NCC, licensees are expected to allocate sufficient budgets to support cyber risk assessments, security technologies, staff training, incident response capabilities, continuous monitoring and compliance with regulatory requirements.
The framework also requires operators to designate senior executives responsible for cybersecurity oversight.
At the same time, boards of directors are expected to provide strategic direction and ensure adequate funding for cyber resilience initiatives.
Speaking on the need for a stronger cybersecurity regime during the unveiling of the framework, Abraham Oshadami, executive commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, said, “Given the increasing digitalisation of services, the rapid growth of data exchange, and the sophisticated nature of modern cyber threats, the need for a robust, adaptive and inclusive cybersecurity framework has become more urgent.”
He added, “Both state and non-state actors are targeting essential sectors—including ours—through coordinated cyber and physical attacks. These attacks frequently target control systems and data integrity, underscoring the critical risks posed to operational technology (OT), especially in our sector.”
“As cyber threats evolve, they endanger not only system performance but also human safety, amplifying the severity and consequences of disruptions to vital communications infrastructure. Cybersecurity now encompasses human safety and must address the real risk to people’s lives when a system is attacked or compromised.”
The Commission further stated that operators are required to develop comprehensive cybersecurity implementation plans, conduct periodic risk assessments, establish business continuity and disaster recovery procedures, and regularly test their cyber defence capabilities.
In addition, the framework makes cyber incident reporting compulsory. Licensees must inform the NCC’s CSIRT of any major cybersecurity breach within four hours of discovery, and provide a thorough post-incident analysis after mitigation is complete.
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