Botswana & Nigeria Lead Africa's Data Center Race With Renewable Hubs
Botswana and Nigeria have taken the lead in Africa's data center race, each aiming to establish a renewable-powered hub to serve cloud providers and AI compute clusters. Both countries are developing strategic projects to secure relevance in the continent's AI era.
Botswana is constructing a high-density data campus near Palapye, powered by a 250MW solar farm and 100MW of battery storage, with natural gas serving as backup. Meanwhile, Nigeria is building a Tier IV data center in Calabar, utilizing hydro generation from water, solar power, and nearby gas infrastructure. Both nations are employing hybrid energy models to ensure stable power supply for their high-load AI infrastructure.
The Dutch company Nxtra Data is involved in these projects, demonstrating the international interest in Africa's digital infrastructure. These initiatives are not only about providing low-cost, always-on, cleaner energy to hyperscalers but also about securing Africa's relevance in the global AI landscape. As the continent's data center boom continues, locations with cheaper power, abundant land, and minimal political red tape, like Palapye in Botswana or Calabar in Nigeria, are expected to gain traction.
Botswana and Nigeria's strategic moves to develop renewable-powered data centers are set to shape the future of Africa's digital infrastructure. By meeting server racks with renewable energy sources and transforming rural land into computation real estate, these projects aim to lock in Africa's relevance in the AI era.
