Telecoms firm Airtel and its Nxtra subsidiary have begun construction work on a data center in Lagos, Nigeria.

Airtel Africa this week officially broke ground on a new facility in Lagos’s Victoria Island at a ceremony attended by Airtel Africa’s outgoing group CEO, Segun Ogunsanya, and his successor, Sunil Taldar.

The facility will deliver 38MW and is expected to be live by the first quarter of 2026. The company is targeting a PUE of 1.3.

Ogunsanya said: “We strongly believe that the establishment of Nxtra Data Centers will enhance data sovereignty, security, and preservation within the continent, reflecting our commitment to make Nigeria a major hub for access to digital services as we propel Africa towards a sustainable and inclusive digital age.”

The Lagos facility will be the first of five hyperscale data centers developed by Airtel Africa on the continent through Nxtra.

A 7MW data center is planned in Nairobi, Kenya, with smaller reportedly planned at cable landing stations in Tanzania, DRC Congo, and Gabon.

Once all five are built out, the company will offer 180MW across 13 core data centers and more than 48 Edge facilities Airtel already had across the continent through its various country units.

Other attendees of the ceremony included the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said: “The Nxtra Frontier is not merely the construction of a facility, but the dawn of a new era in data control, security, and preservation throughout Africa. Airtel’s commitment to the highest standards in data management, technological innovation, and extensive network infrastructure is truly commendable.

Airtel launched an African division of Nxtra late last year. Nxtra also has a presence in India, the home country of parent company Bharti Airtel, where it operates 12 data centers and 120 Edge facilities or Points-of-Presence.