Over the past decade, Africa's digital economy has seen unprecedented levels of digital infrastructure investment, driven by rapid cloud adoption, advanced computing, storage and artificial intelligence (AI), and digital transformation across both the public and private sectors. These trends are accelerating demand for hyperscale data centres capable of supporting significantly larger computing loads than traditional enterprise facilities.
As of today, Africa boasts over 500 MW worth of operational data centre capacity. As expected, South Africa dominates the region by a considerable margin of over 60% market share. While this is the case, emerging markets like Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt and Morocco, which are East, West, and North Africa’s regional gateways, are gradually diversifying the continent's digital infrastructure. Investors are increasingly viewing data centres as critical infrastructure assets, comparable to power plants, ports, and telecommunications networks, owing to their long-term contracted revenues, resilient demand, and strategic role in enabling digital economies.
In terms of pipeline, there’s an estimated 890 MW worth of projects according to the Africa Data Centre Association, with Kenya’s Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Egypt’s Khazna Data Center, and Nigeria’s Airtel Data Centre among the upcoming projects. This underscores the continent's emergence as one of the world's fastest-growing digital infrastructure markets.
In this article, we have profiled the seven largest operational data centres on the continent by IT load capacity.
- Terraco Isando Campus, South Africa
The Teraco Isando campus comprising JB1+JB3+JB5 is located in Ekurhulenithe-Johannesburg, South Africa and features 70 MW worth of total IT capacity. It is operated by Teraco which is the largest data centre operator in the continent. Teraco’s Isando Campus provides the cloud on-ramps for Amazon, Google, Huawei, Microsoft Azure, Oracle, and VMWare Cloud Verified providers.
- Teraco Bredell Campus, South Africa
Teraco's JB4 Bredell Campus, located in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, South Africa, is the largest standalone data centre in Africa. Completed in 2022, the facility provides approximately 17,000 m² of white space across 14 data halls and delivers 50 MW of IT load, supported by an 80 MW utility power supply. The campus occupies a 6-hectare site with a total built footprint of approximately 80,000 m², making it one of the continent's most significant hyperscale digital infrastructure assets.
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- Teraco CT2, South Africa
Teraco CT2 data centre was completed in November 2025. It is located in Brackenfell, on the northern outskirts of Cape Town South Africa, and features a total IT load capacity of 50 MW backed by an 80MW utility power supply grid. The center sits on 73,000m² built over three levels, with a deployment space of 18,000m² of white space across 16 data halls.
- 21st Century Technologies (Ikeja Campus), Nigeria
The Ikeja campus in Nigeria is the flagship data centre project by 21st CTL. It was completed in 2020 and spans up to 57,600m² of custom-engineered IT infrastructure space, and an IT Load capacity of 36 MW.
- Agility Logistics Park (ALP) – Ghana Data Centre Campus
The ALP Ghana Data Center Campus is a master-planned hyperscale infrastructure development located within the Tema Free Zone Enclave near Accra. It spans an allocated 87,639m² of master-planned land within the larger logistics campus, with an IT Power Load of 30 MW capacity commitment from Day 1, and the structural design allowing power availability to scale up to 150MW at full build-out.
- East Cairo Logistics Park Data Centre Campus - Egypt
The East Cairo Logistics Park (YANMU East) Data Center Campus is one of Egypt's flagship hyperscale digital infrastructure developments. Developed through YANMU, a strategic joint venture between Agility Global and Hassan Allam Utilities, the facility occupies a 15,800 m² purpose-built data centre footprint within the larger 270,000 m² Grade A logistics park. The campus is designed to deliver 25 MW of critical IT capacity, with supporting power infrastructure engineered to scale up to 45 MW as demand grows, positioning it among North Africa's largest hyperscale data centre developments.
- JHB1 Midrand Data Centre
The JHB1 Midrand Data Centre, operated by Africa Data Centres (ADC), is one of South Africa’s largest carrier-neutral facilities. The campus provides approximately 9,000 m² of floor space across eight data halls and delivers 20 MW of IT power capacity. It also incorporates a 1.5 MW solar installation, including 650 kWp of rooftop and carport photovoltaic systems, which generates more than 1 million kWh of renewable electricity annually to help reduce dependence on the municipal grid.
Overall, South Africa continues to dominate the hyperscale capacity, but significant investments across Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt and other emerging markets indicate that digital infrastructure is becoming increasingly distributed.
Notably, megawatt capacity has become the industry's preferred benchmark because it directly reflects a facility's computing capability. Higher IT loads generally enable operators to support more racks and servers, and host hyperscale cloud providers, among other benefits. For investors, MW capacity is often a stronger indicator of long-term revenue potential than building size alone.
With just 3,577square meters in land mass, Lagos is home to over 17 million residents, making it one of the most densely populated cities in the world. One of the most pronounced effects of clear overpopulation in overcrowded cities like Lagos is the increase in informal settlements, land grabbing, and illegal construction. Internal data from the Lagos State government shows that more than 349 buildings have been erected illegally and do not comply with the planning laws set out by the state. In response, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development have intensified enforcement of planning laws to ensure that buildings within Lagos State are designed, constructed, and maintained to a high standard of safety. Their enforcement efforts have led to numerous building demolitions and are primarily targeted at three recurring violations across the state, which we will be discussing below.
- Lack of building development permit:
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Failure to obtain required development permits remains one of the most common triggers for demolition across Lagos. Under Section 27(1) of the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, no building is allowed to be erected across the state, except when necessary permits and approvals have been duly sought and obtained. “No person shall carry out any development in Lagos State without obtaining a permit from the relevant planning authority.” Non-compliance with section 27(1) of the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law authorises the state government to demolish any building that has not sought and obtained the necessary approvals. Despite this clear guideline, unauthorised construction continues to proliferate in the state. In a recent enforcement action, 13 illegal buildingswere demolished in Lagos for non-compliance, highlighting the Government’s resolve to clamp down on developments that violate planning regulations. Several factors may explain why some developers bypass the approval process, including a lack of awareness of regulatory requirements, the perceived complexity or delay in obtaining permits, and, in some cases, a calculated risk to evade official fees or oversight. While these issues don’t justify non-compliance, they underscore the need for continued public education, transparency, and reform of the permitting process.
- Encroachment on Drainage Channels and Setbacks:
Building on drainage channels and designated setbacks stands out as one of the leading causes of demolition across Lagos. This issue not only breaches planning regulations but has also contributed to environmental and public safety risks.The Lagos State Building Control Agency(LASBCA) mandates a minimum setback of nine (9) meters for residential buildings in high-density, flood-prone zonessuch as Victoria Island, Apapa, and the Lekki Peninsula Schemes I and II. Despite these regulations, many developers have reclaimed and erected structures directly on waterways, obstructing water flow and increasing the risk of flooding. Recently, the Lagos state government marked 39 buildingsfor demolition in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area (mostly along the Ikota corridor) for obstructing drainage channels and encroaching.Similar actions have been taken in other areas like Amuwo Odofin. These demolitions have left many homeowners devastated. In response, affected owners have petitioned the government through their community associations, while others seek court injunctions to challenge the demolition or delay it pending clarification of their land status. Urban experts, however, emphasise the need for property buyers to secure proper planning permits from the Lagos StatePhysical Planning Permit Authority(LASPPPA) before embarking on any building or development project within the state.In many cases, properties built on canals, drainage channels, or government-designated right-of-way have little to no legal standing, making it difficult for affected owners to obtain compensation or favourable rulings in court. This is because such developments typically contravene established planning laws and are considered public safety hazards. We love your feedback. Let us know what you think about this article or your experience renting in Africa by sending an email toadvisory@fortrenandcompany.com. You can also join the conversation here onLinkedIn.