The investment is the first phase of a $100M plan to bridge Africa’s digital divide, bringing world-class cloud and AI connectivity to Nigeria’s booming tech ecosystem by Q1 2026.
Equinix is significantly boosting its presence in Africa with plans to open a high-performance data center in Lagos, Nigeria, named LG3. This $22 million investment marks a major commitment, representing the first phase of an ambitious $100 million plan aimed at transforming Africa’s digital landscape over the next two years.
Scheduled to open in Q1 2026, LG3 is Equinix’s first newly constructed data center in West Africa. It is designed to provide the crucial infrastructure necessary for both local businesses to scale and international companies to enter the market.
A key feature of the new site is the incorporation of Equinix Fabric. This enables businesses to securely and privately connect their physical and virtual infrastructure to cloud service providers, partners, and other Equinix locations across their global network of over 270 data centers.
Wole Abu, Managing Director for West Africa at Equinix, highlighted the impact: “LG3 marks a significant milestone in Equinix’s long-term commitment to bridging Africa’s digital divide. This facility is accelerating access to technologies like cloud, AI, and the next wave of startups.”
Lagos is perfectly positioned for this expansion. As Nigeria is the second-largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa, Lagos stands as the epicenter of its digital transformation, recognized as the only African city in the Global Top 100 Startup Ecosystems.
The investment underscores the accelerating digital transformation across Africa, driven by a young, tech-savvy population and increasing demand for secure data services.
- Empowering Local Scale: The facility will provide robust and resilient platforms, allowing Nigerian companies like Cedarview to expand their digital footprint and deliver high-performance solutions.
- Attracting Global Players: By providing carrier-neutral infrastructure and global connectivity through Equinix Fabric, LG3 makes Lagos an even more compelling destination for hyperscale cloud providers and multinational enterprises.
- Strategic Hub: The site will harness Nigeria’s strategic position as a hub for global subsea cable connections, securely linking Africa with Europe, Asia, and beyond.
Since entering the African market in 2022, Equinix has rapidly expanded its footprint across key markets, including Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa, positioning itself as a central player in the continent’s digital future while maintaining a commitment to responsible, sustainable operations.
