Nigeria’s data centre industry is at a pivotal moment.
Driven by an increasingly digital economy, a tech-savvy population, and a strategic position within West Africa; the country is emerging as a key destination for digital infrastructure investment.
But to truly unlock its potential, especially in areas like hyperscale computing, AI, and 5G, critical gaps in power reliability, infrastructure scalability, and regulation must be addressed.
In this exclusive interview with Naijaonpoint, the Managing Director, Africa at digital infrastructure provider firm, Vertiv, Wojtek Piorko, shares insights into the current state of Nigeria’s data centre ecosystem, the opportunities and challenges shaping its future, and how Vertiv is supporting the continent’s digital transformation from edge computing to sustainable AI infrastructure.
Excerpts:
Naijaonpoint: With increasing digital transformation in Nigeria, how do you assess the current state of Nigeria’s data centre industry, and what gaps still exist?
Wojtek Piorko: Nigeria is one of the leading countries in digital transformation in Africa, with an expanding tech startup ecosystem, a youthful, data-hungry population and rapid urbanisation.
On the digital infrastructure side, the country currently has a good mix of international investments and strong local players, which is also attractive to newcomers due to its growth potential.
Key drivers for data centre investment in Nigeria are clear: the country’s digital economy is booming; it has a young, more tech-savvy population that is constantly online; and its central location within Africa makes it a great hub for connectivity.
Add to that a regulatory environment that is hopefully becoming more supportive, and you’ve got a recipe for strong growth.
Naijaonpoint: Going by the increasing demand for cloud services, do you see Nigeria becoming a hub for hyperscale data centres in West Africa?
Wojtek Piorko: Yes, I do think that Nigeria could become a West African hub for hyperscale data centres, due mainly to the experience already gained within the country with first deployments, the growing number of investments, its central location and good connectivity.
However, to get to that point, a number of challenges need to be addressed.
One of the most pressing infrastructure challenges in Nigeria’s data centre landscape is power availability and stability.
Data centres are highly energy-intensive environments that require consistent, reliable electricity to enable uptime and service continuity.
The frequent power interruptions locally and reliance on diesel generators increase operational costs and make it harder to maintain international standards for availability and energy efficiency.
The frequent power interruptions locally and reliance on diesel generators increase operational costs and make it harder to maintain international standards for availability and energy efficiency.
In addition, currency fluctuations pose a significant barrier. Many of the components required for data centre builds, such as cooling systems, power backup solutions and other infrastructure, are imported.
Unpredictable exchange rates affect both capital expenditure planning and long-term return on investment.
Naijaonpoint: What is your assessment of the current level of sustainability and energy efficiency in Nigerian data centres?
Wojtek Piorko: While the most accurate assessment of current sustainability and energy efficiency levels would come from the data centre owners themselves, at Vertiv, we work closely with many operators across Nigeria and the broader region.
What we’re seeing is a growing awareness and demand for more energy-efficient, sustainable infrastructure solutions, especially as energy costs rise and environmental pressures mount.
Naijaonpoint: AI adoption is accelerating globally. How do you see AI impacting Nigeria’s economy, and what infrastructure is needed to support it?
Wojtek Piorko: Nigeria has consistently remained one of Africa’s biggest economies, so it stands to reason that the country has signification AI requirements and potential, with the country seeking to establish itself as a global digital powerhouse.
However, with limited AI-ready capacity in the country currently, there is a serious requirement for scalable, quickly deployable AI-ready white space.
To remain competitive in the global AI race, Nigeria must prioritise the development of scalable foundational infrastructure. This starts with significantly expanding AI-ready data centre capacity. Currently, the country has limited infrastructure capable of handling the high-density computing and cooling demands required by AI workloads.
In addition to physical infrastructure, a supportive regulatory environment is essential. Clear data governance policies, ethical AI guidelines, and cross-border data flow regulations will be crucial to fostering innovation while protecting users and businesses.
Lastly, none of this is possible without investment in human capital. AI success depends on skilled resources, and Nigeria must strengthen education and training programmes to build a local talent pipeline.
Naijaonpoint: What role is Vertiv playing in the AI space?
Wojtek Piorko: Vertiv has established itself as a global leader in AI infrastructure, offering cutting-edge solutions engineered with industry leaders in the AI industry, such as NVIDIA, to power and cool even the highest density workloads in the most challenging deployments.
By continuing to solve the most complex power and hybrid cooling challenges, we are making widespread AI adoption possible.
Through decades of experience, leading innovation, and pioneering advances in critical digital infrastructure, we are powering what AI needs today and where AI will go tomorrow.
Naijaonpoint: The first 5G network in Nigeria was launched almost three years ago, but 5G connectivity is still limited in the country. What role is Vertiv playing in this space?
Wojtek Piorko: At Vertiv, we’re helping address Nigeria’s 5G and edge computing needs by delivering scalable, efficient data centre infrastructure.
This includes a number of solutions to support the infrastructure side, such as Vertiv Integrated Solutions, as well as the Vertiv SmartMod rapidly deployable, standalone data centre solution, which provides enhanced levels of availability, efficiency and control in self-contained enclosures that can be deployed securely, virtually anywhere.
It also includes our locally manufactured off-grid hybrid solutions, which minimise the use of diesel generators and maximise the use of solar power and batteries, boosting the performance, stability and financial return required to operate a telecom business.
Naijaonpoint: What sectors in Nigeria do you think will benefit the most from AI in the next 5 years?
Wojtek Piorko: GSMA, a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change, stated recently that while Africa currently represents only 2.5% of the global AI market, emerging AI applications could boost the continent’s economy by $2.9 trillion by 2030, potentially raising annual GDP growth by 3%.
This would result in significant development impacts for the continent.
Currently, most African AI use cases are related to agriculture (49%), climate action (26%) and energy (24%).
The report noted that the use of AI in the energy sector has been a focus in Nigeria in particular, stating that “where emerging technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) act as an entry point for advanced data analytics in smart energy management.”