Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, affirmed yesterday the unwavering dedication of his administration to establish Lagos as a leading digital hub in Africa.
Sanwo-Olu delivered these remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony of NXTRA by Airtel Data Centre, hosted at the Eki Atlantic on Victoria Island, Lagos.
In a statement, the governor emphasized that the occasion symbolized more than mere infrastructure developmemet; rather, it heralded the onset of a transformative era in data management, security, and conservation across the African continent.
The governor emphasized that the data center, projected to begin operations by the third quarter of 2025, would not only epitomize Nigeria’s advancement but also stand as a fundamental cornerstone in achieving digital ambitions.
“This initiative resonates with my administration’s goal of making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, and i welcome this collaboration between Airtel Africa and the Lagos State government towards achieving a transformative digital leap for Nigeria. This Data Centre, with its substantial capacity, will unlock vast potential across carious sectors from nurturing innovation in tech startups to enhancing government service efficiency. It will generate employment, attract investments, and position Lagos as a premier digital hub in Africa.
“Todays groundbreaking ceremony marks not just the commencement of construction but the initiative of a new narrative. It is a narrative propelled by collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to a prosperous digital future.”
Sanwo-Olu expressed gratitude to Airtel for constructing the Data Centre in Lagos, stating, “Airtel Africa, through NXTRA, has emerged as a pioneer in establishing state-of-art data center facilities across the continent”
“Their commitment to the highest standards in data management , technological innovation, and extensive network infrastructure is truly commendable.
“With a total capacity of 180 MW distributed across 13 major Data Centres and over 48 Edge Data centers, NXTRA is poised to redefine data storage and accessibility in Africa.
“This Data Centre aims to establish a secure control hub for data storage and management within Africa, meet the escalating demand for cloud services and data consumption in Nigeria and beyond while contributing to the digital economy by providing scalable infrastructure for businesses and government services.
“I commend Airtel Africa and NXTRA for their dedication to Nigeria and Africa. The Lagos Stage Government stands steadily behind this project, offering unwavering support to ensure its successful realisation.” He said
Sanwo-Olu in the proceedings, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, affirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to leverage technology for enhancing productivity across key sectors.
Tijani emphasized the significance of the data center for the future, affirming the federal government’s ongoing commitment to supporting the technology industry. During the groundbreaking pride in Governor Sanwo-Olu’s commendable efforts in Lagos State. Ogunsanya projected that during construction, the data center would generate 1,000 jobs with 24 months, ad upon completion, it would create 250,000employment opportunities.
He highlighted that the commencement of the NXTRA by Airtel Data Center construction signifies advancement in bolstering data management, security, and preservation across Africa.