African data center operator Raxio Group plans to build a Tier III data center in the Ivory Coast.

The facility will be set up at the Ivory Coast Village of Innovation and Technology, around 30km from the city center of economic capital Abidjan.

Set to be commissioned in 2023, Raxio Abidjan is being developed in collaboration with contractor Master Power Technologies.

The site is expected to initially launch with space for 400 racks, and deliver 1.5MW of IT power. The company said that it hopes to expand the facility in the coming years. Rival MainOne plans to open a 50-rack data center in the country next year.

The Ivory Coast (also known as Côte d'Ivoire) is part of the West African Economic Monetary and Economic Union, which has broad data-transfer and storage regulations, allowing the data center to host banks and other financial institutions from countries like Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.

"We are delighted to be entering Ivory Coast as our first beachhead in the West African market," Robert Mullins, Raxio Group's CEO, said.

"Ivory Coast is a true hub in the region and our decision to build the country’s first Tier III carrier neutral facility falls squarely within our strategy and furthers our expansion efforts. With all the developments across the broader digital infrastructure sector here, it is a truly exciting time to be a part of this ongoing transformation."

The company also operates a data center in Uganda, and another in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is currently building facilities in Mozambique and Ethiopia, with plans for 10-12 data centers in the coming years.

The business is a portfolio company of US investment firm Roha Group Inc and asset manager Meridiam.