Colocation provider Equinix is to develop a data center in Lagos, Nigeria.

The company this week announced plans to invest $22 million in LG3, set to open in Q1 2026.

LG3 is set to be located at 43 Saka Tinubu in the Victoria Island area of Lagos. The four-story facility is set to offer 610 sqm (6,570 sq ft) of colocation space.

“LG3 marks a significant milestone in Equinix’s long-term commitment to bridging Africa’s digital divide,” said Wole Abu, managing director for West Africa at Equinix. “As Lagos emerges at the crossroads of talent, innovation, and global connectivity, this facility is accelerating access to technologies like cloud, AI, and the next wave of startups. We're not just building data centers, we're fostering growth, empowering innovation, and laying the groundwork for an interconnected African economy ready to lead on the global stage.”

The news marks the first phase of a $100 million investment plan across Africa over the next two years.

The company first entered Africa with its $320m acquisition of MainOne Cable Co in 2021. This move brought three operational data centers to Equinix's portfolio in Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire.

MainOne also had a Nigerian data center under construction at the time of the acquisition, which later opened in April 2022. An expansion to LG2 was launched earlier this year. Both LG1 and LG2 are located in the Lekki area of the city. An Equinix data center is set to be developed in Port Harcourt.

Equinix announced plans for a Johannesburg, South Africa, IBX data center in December 2022. The facility, which launched last year, offers 4MW of IT capacity, in its first phase, eventually reaching 20MW and more than 100,000 sq ft (9,290 sqm) of colocation space.

Aslıhan Güreşcier, VP EMEA growth & emerging markets at Equinix, said: “Africa’s digital transformation is accelerating, driven by a young population, rising internet access, and increasing demand for secure data infrastructure. With the opening of our newest data center in Lagos, Equinix is proud to invest in this dynamic region, supporting our customers’ growth with world-class data centers that power everything from banking and education to emergency services and commerce.”