Bangladeshi conglomerate Summit Group has revealed plans to enter the country’s burgeoning data center market.

Speaking to Nikkei Asia, chairman Muhammed Aziz Khan said that the group's first data center project would be powered via its energy arm, Summit Power International. It would utilize Summit’s existing gas-fired generation capacity, alongside its nationwide fiber-optic network and land holdings.

“Summit Group's next phase [of growth] focuses on integrating energy and data, leveraging our LNG and fiber-optic expertise,” Khan said.

The company is Bangladesh’s largest private power producer, accounting for approximately seven percent of the country’s installed electrical capacity. It currently operates ten natural gas plants and a further five oil-fired facilities.

According to Kahn, the company is now seeking an experienced partner to help develop and market the facility, and is reportedly in discussions with potential customers that have global data center expertise. “Some of the ‘Magnificent 7’ have shown interest,” he said, referring to Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla.

Khan went on to say that the company is aiming to secure a customer sometime this year.

If built, the data center is expected to be located close to the capital city of Dhaka, where Summit has most of its gas-fired plants. Khan said the group’s competitive advantage lies in speed. “We have electricity, fiber, and land,” he said, adding that while data centers can take several years to develop, Summit believes it can deliver capacity within around 18 months.

The expansion comes at a time of significant instability for the country, however. Ties with India have cratered following the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with the country currently preparing for its first election since her deposition.

The instability has impacted Summit’s renewable energy development, with a proposed 500MW offshore wind project postponed following governmental opposition.

Despite the challenges, Khan said investor interest in Bangladesh remains. “For investment, the essential foundations are rule of law, democracy, and policy predictability,” Khan said. “A prime minister elected by the people would hopefully be able to give at least five years of certainty in their policymaking.”

Bangladesh has a fairly nascent data center market, with several local players such as Felicity IDC and Red.Digital. Meanwhile, the government operates a Uptime Tier IV-certified data center in the capital.