Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the world’s digital infrastructure company™, today announced its intention to open its latest high performance data middle in Lagos, Nigeria.
The $22 Million investment in LG3 marks the first phase of an ambitious investment plan of around $100 million aimed at transforming Africa’s digital landscape over the next two years. Set to open in Q1 2026, the new site will deliver vital new infrastructure to Nigeria empowering local businesses to scale, while drawing international companies to the country in this strategically positioned hub for global connectivity.
The addition of the new LG3 Data center in Nigeria also brings the incorporation of Equinix Fabric into the metro, enabling businesses to securely connect their physical and virtual infrastructure to cloud service providers, partners, and other companies to other Equinix locations all around the world.
“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.”
Olawale Owoeye Managing Director at Cedarview added “Equinix’s Lagos data middle will provide us with the robust and resilient platform our customers demand to expand our digital footprint. The unparalleled reliability and access to a global ecosystem empower us to deliver high performance solutions to our customers and the new LG3 data center in Lagos is key step in ensuring we remain at the forefront of businesses connecting Africa.”
Nigeria is the second-largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is home to a vibrant and increasingly tech-savvy population. Lagos, in particular, is at the epicenter of Africa’s digital transformation, recognised as the only African city in the Global Top 100 Startup Ecosystems.
Commenting on the opportunity for Equinix in Africa, Aslıhan Güreşcier, Vice President, 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 centres that power everything from banking and education to emergency services and commerce.”
Since entering the African market in 2022, Equinix has expanded its presence in key African markets including, Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire. Last year the company also opened its first data middle in Johannesburg South Africa, significantly strengthening Equinix’s global presence on the continent, accelerating Africa’s digital transformation by delivering sustainable, carrier neutral infrastructure that reliably connects it with the rest of the global economy.
With a footprint spanning over 270 data centers worldwide, Equinix is continuing to bring its global expertise and infrastructure to the region. This includes harnessing Nigeria’s strategic position as an international hub for global subsea cable connections, linking Africa with Europe, Asia, and beyond.
Equinix is committed to responsible investment and operations that prioritise sustainability. Across all our sites, including LG3, we work to reduce environmental impact and improve efficiency.
Africa Fact: Africans pioneered basic arithmetic 25,000 years ago. The Ishango bone is a tool handle with notches carved into it found in
the Ishango region of Zaïre (now called Congo) near Lake Edward. The bone tool was originally thought to have been over 8,000 years old, but a more sensitive recent dating has given dates of 25,000 years old. On the tool are 3 rows of notches. Row 1 shows three notches carved next to six, four carved next to eight, ten carved next to two fives and finally a seven. The 3 and 6, 4 and 8, and 10 and 5, represent the process of doubling. Row 2 shows eleven notches carved next to twenty-one notches, and nineteen notches carved next to nine notches. This represents 10 + 1, 20 + 1, 20 – 1 and 10 – 1. Finally, Row 3 shows eleven notches, thirteen notches, seventeen notches and nineteen notches. 11, 13, 17 and 19 are the prime numbers between 10 and 20.
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Patrice Motsepe – After a successful career as a lawyer at Bowman Gilfillan, Motsepe founded ARM (African Rainbow Minerals) in 1997 and turned it into one of the largest mining and mineral groups in the world. He has since diversified into a number of other key sectors. Motsepe is ranked as South Africa’s fifth richest person, with a fortune exceeding R1.3 billion in 2017. In December he invested in a $1-billion fund as part of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, launched by Bill Gates.