In a landmark event for Nigeria’s tech community, MTN Nigeria recently hosted 50 delegates from the Nigeria Innovation Summit for an exclusive tour of its state-of-the-art Dabengwa Data Centre in Ikeja, Lagos.
The visit offered a rare glimpse into the critical infrastructure powering the nation’s digital ambitions.
The tour, a highlight of the summit’s third day, brought together a selected group of technology experts, finance leaders, and policymakers, who were given a first-hand look at the Tier III modular facility, a cornerstone of MTN’s massive infrastructure investment in the country.
Named in honour of the late former MTN Group CEO, Sifiso Dabengwa, the centre represents a significant investment of over $235 million.
Built in two phases, the facility is designed to be a bedrock for Nigeria’s digital sovereignty, offering world-class data storage and processing services, as phase 1 delivers 4.5 MW of IT load across 780 racks housed within 96 prefabricated modules.
The centre is fully compliant with the Nigerian Data Protection Act and adheres to stringent global standards for security and resilience.
Addressing the delegates, Senior Manager for the SME Segment at MTN Nigeria, Akinbulejo Onabolu, underscored the facility’s strategic importance.
He said, “This facility is the engine room for the next phase of Nigeria’s digital transformation. By investing in world-class, resilient infrastructure right here in Lagos, we are providing local businesses and government agencies with the secure, scalable capacity they need to innovate, compete globally, and accelerate the transition to a truly digital-first economy.”
Led by Manager of the Data Centre, Funsho Abiodun, the delegates were guided through the complex systems, ensuring the facility’s 24/7 high availability, including advanced power management, cooling systems, and robust physical security protocols.
Programme Director of the Nigerian Innovation Summit, Tony Ajah, hailed MTN’s investment as a transformative development for the local innovation ecosystem.
“Seeing the scale and technological sophistication of the MTN Data Centre is truly inspiring. It sends a clear message that the foundational infrastructure for a thriving, competitive digital economy is now in place in Nigeria.
“This level of commitment from a major private sector player like MTN provides a powerful platform for our entrepreneurs and innovators to build the next generation of solutions without being held back by capacity constraints,” Ajah commented.
The tour served as a powerful demonstration of how large-scale telecommunications infrastructure is directly enabling digital transformation across vital sectors, reinforcing MTN’s commitment to delivering the solutions that drive Africa’s progress.
