Airtel Africa ended the trading week as the Nigerian Exchange’s (NGX) standout large-cap performer, climbing 10 per cent from ₦3,323.40 to ₦3,655.70 per share. For a company of its size and strategic weight, that kind of weekly gain is not routine. It is a signal.

But what made the movement more telling was its character. While several other gainers on the exchange rode waves of speculative trading and short-term positioning, Airtel Africa’s ascent was driven by something more durable, investor conviction in the company’s fundamentals, earnings profile, and long-term strategic direction.

That trust has been carefully built. Across its operational footprint spanning multiple African markets, Airtel Africa has consistently delivered on the metrics that institutional and retail investors alike watch most closely, revenue diversification, foreign currency-linked income streams, and disciplined execution in challenging macroeconomic environments.

In a period defined by selective capital deployment and cautious sector rotation, those qualities have become precious.

The company’s regional scale also works in its favour. With deep presence across East, Central, and West Africa, Airtel Africa is not merely a Nigerian stock, it is a continental asset trading on a domestic exchange.

Its exposure to markets with growing digital and financial services demand gives it a buffer that purely domestic operators cannot easily replicate.

Beyond the share price, the fundamentals telling the longer story are in Airtel Africa’s strategic investments: network expansion, mobile financial services, enterprise solutions, and digital infrastructure projects that position the company at the intersection of connectivity and economic inclusion.

These are not just growth levers, they are the building blocks of the digital Africa that policymakers, investors, and communities are all racing to construct.

Telecommunications, more than almost any other sector, has emerged as a non-negotiable infrastructure layer for Africa’s economic ambitions. Governments depend on it. Businesses run on it.

Millions of people, many of them entering the formal economy for the first time through mobile money, live their financial lives through it. Airtel Africa’s footprint places it squarely at the centre of that transformation.

For the NGX, the week’s performance offered a useful mirror. In an environment where investor selectivity is high and macro headwinds remain real, the stocks that attract genuine, sustained interest are those with credible stories and the execution record to back them up.

Airtel Africa, it appears, is still very much that stock.

The post Airtel Africa Surges 10% in a Week, Emerges NGX’s Star Large-Cap Performer appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Airtel Africa’s FY2026 results showed Nigeria emerging as the company’s fastest-growing major market, with mobile services revenue rising by 52.8 per cent and data revenue jumping nearly 70 per cent year-on-year.

Much of that growth was supported by tariff adjustments approved within the Nigerian telecom market by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) led by Dr. Aminu Maida, alongside rising smartphone penetration and increased demand for internet services.

The results demonstrate how pricing reforms, when implemented carefully, can significantly strengthen operator revenues and expand capacity for infrastructure investment.

For years, telecom operators in Nigeria have argued that stagnant tariffs, currency volatility, rising diesel prices, and infrastructure costs were undermining network expansion and service quality.

Airtel Africa’s latest numbers now provide one of the clearest indicators yet that improved pricing flexibility can unlock stronger investment and operational performance.

The company plans to increase capital expenditure to approximately $1.1 billion in FY2027, targeting fibre expansion, 5G rollout, home broadband services, and data centres.

This has broader implications for Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.

The country’s broadband penetration targets, fintech expansion, AI readiness, cloud infrastructure growth, and digital public services all depend heavily on sustained private-sector investment from telecom operators.

Airtel Africa’s results also highlight the strategic importance of Nigeria’s data economy. Data services have now overtaken voice as the largest revenue contributor for the group, reflecting the continent-wide shift toward internet-driven consumption.

At the same time, the report underscores the growing policy relevance of mobile money and financial inclusion.

Airtel Money’s customer base expanded to more than 54 million users, while annualised transaction value exceeded $215 billion in Q4 FY2026.

Although Nigeria’s regulatory structure still separates telecom-led mobile money operations differently from several East African markets, the continued growth of digital financial services suggests regulators across Africa may increasingly face pressure to harmonise fintech, telecom, and payment regulations.

The report also draws attention to rising geopolitical and operational risks confronting African telecom operators, including foreign exchange volatility, cybersecurity concerns, energy inflation, and regulatory uncertainty.

For policymakers, the message is increasingly clear: digital infrastructure is no longer just a telecommunications issue.

It has become a core economic growth issue tied directly to financial inclusion, enterprise productivity, artificial intelligence adoption, and national competitiveness.

The post Airtel Africa Results Highlight Why Nigeria’s Telecom Policy Decisions Now Shape Digital Growth appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Dr Segun Ogunsanya, CEO of Airtel Africa plc, made this commitment at the opening of a two-day conference in Nairobi, Kenya, last week where executives of Airtel Africa and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) convened to discuss implementation of the landmark partnership across 13 out of Airtel’s 14 markets. Airtel Africa committed to invest $57m into educational programmes during the five-year partnership with UNICEF.

Ogunsanya reflected on the effects of Covid-19 pandemic on education in Africa leading to school closures, and charged the participants to continue to work closely with stakeholders, especially the governments and educational authorities, to ensure that children, especially vulnerable children in remote communities, are given the opportunity to learn.

He acknowledged the challenges faced in the implementation of the partnership in some of the 13 African countries, and urged the governments of the affected countries to support this important initiative.

As a leading telecommunications company in the region, Airtel Africa is using its unique insights to stand up for the children of Africa’s right to education and equality of opportunity.

Ogunsanya reiterated Airtel Africa’s corporate purpose of transforming lives and pledged that the organisation will continue to champion the quest for bridging the digital divide and promoting financial inclusion.

Also welcoming the participants, the deputy regional director of UNICEF, Lieke van de Wiel, described the Airtel Africa/UNICEF partnership as an important collaboration of private and public sectors, aimed at putting children at the heart of their learning, and changing the narrative in education after years of loss during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She commended Airtel Africa for coming on board and encouraged the participants to seize the moment by sharing experiences and exchanging ideas and learnings on how best to implement the initiative.

In 2021, Airtel Africa and UNICEF signed a landmark partnership committing to provide access to quality education for more that one million children by connecting schools to the internet and providing access to zero-rated educational platforms in 13 African countries.

Airtel Africa is the first private sector company on the continent to partner with UNICEF to support programmes focused on accelerating digital learning, with access to education as one of the key goals of Airtel Africa’s sustainability strategy.

The post Ogunsanya Restates Airtel’s Commitment to Providing Quality Education to African children appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

At the same time, the country recorded over 182 million active mobile subscriptions and about 53% broadband penetration as of early 2026.

These statistics are rarely spotlighted in discussions about Nigeria’s tech sector, though they point to the main driver in the field.

While attention is placed on startups, funding rounds and new apps, influence is consolidating around the companies that run the networks.

These include MTN Group and Airtel Africa, not simply as telecom operators, but as companies expanding into digital platforms.

The scale advantage nobody can replicate

Start with distribution. Nigeria has more than 182 million active mobile lines, with stable monthly growth. In January 2026 alone, over 2.5 million new subscriptions were added.

Market share is heavily concentrated, with MTN and Airtel together accounting for close to 86% of mobile connections in the country.

This is not a fragmented market, a small number of operators control access at scale, limiting how far smaller competitors can reach.

That control affects how people come online, how data is used, and how digital services reach users.

Startups build applications, but telcos are in control of the networks on which those applications depend.

From connectivity to control

For years, telecom companies relied on voice calls and SMS for revenue, but that model has changed.

Data now drives earnings, alongside enterprise services and digital offerings.

The transition is measurable and revenue is moving towards:

• mobile data
• business connectivity
• digital service layers

At the same time, telecom operators are expanding into:

• financial services
• developer platforms
• enterprise solutions
• identity and verification systems

This is a change in structure, not just product expansion.

Once a company controls connectivity, expanding into adjacent services becomes a natural progression.

MTN’s reset

Recent changes at MTN Group align with the new direction. A few days ago, the company announced the appointment of five new independent non-executive directors, alongside the planned retirement of long-serving board members. The changes take effect from March 31 and are tied to its Ambition 2030 strategy.

This is part of a governance adjustment. As operations expand across markets and services, oversight structures are being strengthened to match that scale and complexity.

Board composition influences strategic direction, capital allocation and risk management. Changes at that level usually show where a company is heading.

In this case, the direction points beyond traditional telecom operations.

Airtel is focusing on a different future

Airtel Africa is taking a different approach. The company is testing satellite-to-mobile connectivity, working with low-earth orbit systems to extend coverage.

Nigeria still faces infrastructure challenges, including uneven fibre deployment and high rollout costs in rural areas.

Satellite connectivity provides a way around these limits. Coverage is no longer tied entirely to physical infrastructure such as towers and fibre routes.

If scaled, this approach could change how network expansion is done, particularly in underserved areas.

The fintech convergence is inevitable

Telecom operators already have:

• large, verified user bases
• frequent customer interaction through airtime and data
• wide physical and digital distribution

These factors support expansion into:

• payments
• wallets
• remittance services
• credit products

This brings them into direct competition with fintech firms, with the difference lying in the starting point.

Startups build products and then acquire users. Telcos already have users and are building services around them.

The result of this overlap is still unfolding, but the direction is too simple not to understand.

Data flows, and telcos sit at the centre

Nigeria’s digital activity is growing really fast. Monthly data consumption has crossed 1.3 million terabytes, driven by streaming, social media and financial services.

All of that traffic runs through telecom networks.

Operators influence:

• connection speed
• pricing
• reliability

These factors affect how digital services perform and how widely they are adopted.

This places telecom companies in a foremost position within the digital economy.

There is Growth, but access is still uneven

Infrastructure investment is increasing even as the network keeps expanding, with more sites, wider fibre coverage and gradual 5G rollout. MTN alone invested over $1 billion in 2025, targeting wider broadband access.

However, there is still a huge gap.

Broadband penetration is just above 53%, and access is uneven across regions. Again, we can’t leave out the high expenses that limit many users.

Expansion is ongoing, but inclusion is not yet complete.

Regulation will follow power

With telecom companies expanding their role, regulatory attention is increasing.

Issues under focus include:

• data protection
• competition
• infrastructure security

Telecom networks now support financial systems, communication and economic activity at scale.

As their influence grows, so does the need for oversight.

The endgame is already visible

As it stands, telcos across Africa, in a bid to become tech platforms, are expanding into multiple layers of the digital economy.

Their roles are expanding to include:

• financial services
• cloud distribution
• identity systems
• infrastructure platforms

This places them in a position to support and influence a wide range of digital services.

Startups will continue to innovate just as regulators will continue to respond.

But telecom operators will always be indispensable to how digital access is provided and scaled.

So…

Much of the conversation around Nigeria’s tech sector focuses on applications, founders and funding.

That view leaves out the underlying systems that make those services possible.

The more fundamental changes are happening in network expansion, infrastructure investment and corporate strategy.

They are less visible, but they carry long-term weight, and they are steadily changing how the digital economy operates.

The post From SIM Cards to Super Platforms: Why Telcos are Becoming the Most Powerful Tech Companies in Africa appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The company said the trial focused on locations with no terrestrial signal. In those areas, Starlink Mobile connected directly to 4G smartphones using its satellite network.

Users were able to send messages, make WhatsApp calls, check maps, and complete transactions on the Airtel app.

Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer of Airtel Africa, said: “We are thrilled to move from announcement to actionable steps with our partners at SpaceX. This testing phase in Kenya is a testament to our commitment to expanding global access.

“By integrating Starlink Mobile’s technology, we are ensuring that our customers remain connected even when they travel beyond our terrestrial network.”

The company now plans to study the results from Kenya before expanding to its other markets. Airtel operates in 14 African countries and serves more than 170 million customers. However, rollout will depend on approvals from regulators in each country.

At the same time, the scope of the service is expected to grow. Airtel and SpaceX are preparing to introduce voice calls and wider data services using the next version of the technology, known as Starlink Mobile V2. That upgrade is designed to deliver broadband directly to standard mobile phones.

Across Africa, other telecom operators are moving in the same direction. MTN Zambia has already tested similar satellite-to-cell services, including data sessions and financial transactions. Nigeria is also expected to see deployments in 2026, with operators positioning for early entry.

So, this is not an isolated test. It is part of a wider push to eliminate mobile dead zones across the continent.

In Kenya, though, regulators are reviewing the development. The Communications Authority has opened a review into the Airtel-Starlink partnership to assess whether satellite signals could interfere with existing 3G, 4G and 5G networks. There are also proposals to raise satellite licence fees sharply, which could increase the cost of deployment.

Beyond Africa, the market itself is growing commendably. Estimates put the satellite phone segment at $3.87 billion in 2025, increasing to $4.49 billion in 2026. The satellite communications market is projected to reach $27.6 billion next year, with long-term growth expected.

The post Airtel Africa Tests Starlink Mobile in Kenya to Bridge Network Gaps appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

So far this year, lower-priced technology equities are delivering stronger returns than some of the market’s biggest and most established companies.

Across the tech and telecom sector, investors are tilting toward penny and mid-tier stocks, drawn by their potential for high percentage profits and price appreciation.

Top Performing NGX Tech Stocks

A closer look at the sector highlights the top-performing penny stocks, mid-tier stocks and large-capitalised tech stocks listed on the NGX.

Penny Stocks

• NCR Nigeria has been the best-performing NGX tech stock so far this year. An investment at the start of January would have returned about 174%, with the share price climbing from N72.70 to N199. This rally has lifted its market value to N21.5 billion.
• Omatek Ventures is also seeing strong demand, having delivered a 108% return, rising from N1.13 to N2.53 as investors increase demand in anticipation of further upside.

Mid-Tier Stocks

Some of the mid-priced tech stocks have also performed comparatively well.

• eTranzact International: This payment giant has seen its share price rise by 59.5%, moving from N11.35 to N18.10. With more Nigerians adopting digital transfers as a mode of making payment, investors are betting big on eTranzact’s N167 billion platform.
• CWG & Chams: These mid-tier players are also in the green. CWG is up 21.1% at N21.80, while Chams Plc has recorded a steady 2.56% gain to close at N4.10.

Large-Cap Stocks

In contrast, the top-tier large-cap tech stocks are moving much more slowly.

• MTN Nigeria: The communication giant gained7% to reach N760, with a market value of N16 trillion.
• Airtel Africa: Currently the most expensive tech stock on the NGX at about N2,270, Airtel has remained flat this year.

Why the Shift is Happening

Market analysts believe two things are driving this trend:

• Accessibility: Many young and retail investors find it easier to buy thousands of units of a N2 stock like Omatek than to buy just one share of Airtel at N2,270.
• Percentage Power: It is much easier for a N1 stock to move to N2 (100% gain) than it is for a N700 stock to move to N1,400.

While telecom giants like MTN and Airtel Africa provide stability for the market, smaller tech stocks are currently providing higher year-to-date returns.

With confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy at an all-time high, and demand for data, payments and software services still growing, interest in tech equities, particularly in the lower price bracket, shows no sign of easing.

The post Penny Tech Stocks are Outperforming Telcos on NGX 2026 appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The telecommunications giant saw its profit after tax more than double to $586 million, a sharp climb from $248 million in the prior year, as a more stable operating environment and currency appreciation in key markets bolstered the bottom line.

Nigeria Leads Growth as Naira Stabilizes

In a striking turnaround for its Nigerian operations, reported currency revenue soared by 71% in the third quarter of 2026.

This growth was driven by a combination of tariff adjustments and a substantial appreciation of the Nigerian Naira, which moved from a weighted average of NGN/USD 1,627 in late 2024 to NGN/USD 1,456 in the current quarter.

“These results highlight the strength of our strategy, with strong operating and financial trends across the business,” stated Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer. “Coupling investment with innovative partnerships strengthens our customer proposition and positions us to capture the considerable growth opportunity across our markets”.

Nigeria’s data revenue alone surged by 65.4% in constant currency, reflecting a growing appetite for digital services as data usage per customer climbed to 10.7 GB per month. Smartphone penetration in the country also reached 54.1%, underscoring the success of Airtel’s device-centric strategy.

Airtel Money Hits 50 Million Milestone

The group’s financial services arm, Airtel Money, reached a historic milestone by surpassing 52 million subscribers, representing a 17.3% year-on-year increase.

Even more significant was the surge in transaction volume, with the annualized total processed value (TPV) crossing the $210 billion threshold, a 36% jump that reinforces Airtel’s role as a major driver of financial inclusion across the continent.

Management confirmed that the company remains on track for the highly anticipated listing of Airtel Money in the first half of 2026.

Strategic Investments and Satellite Partnerships

Airtel Africa continues to aggressively expand its infrastructure, reporting a 32.2% increase in capital expenditure to $603 million.

The group rolled out approximately 2,500 new sites and expanded its fiber network to over 81,500 kilometers to enhance coverage and capacity.

In a move to bridge the digital divide in rural areas, the company recently announced a landmark partnership with SpaceX.

Airtel Africa will become the first mobile operator on the continent to introduce Starlink Direct-to-Cell satellite connectivity, allowing customers with compatible handsets to access text and data services even in areas without traditional terrestrial coverage.

Operational Efficiency and Market Outlook

The group reported an EBITDA margin expansion to 48.9%, driven by disciplined cost-efficiency programs and strong revenue growth.

Operating profit grew by 41.3% to over $1.5 billion, while leverage improved to 1.9x from 2.4x a year ago.

Despite the positive momentum, industry authorities note that the group remains exposed to macroeconomic risks, including inflationary pressures and potential currency fluctuations.

However, with 95.2% of its operating company debt now held in local currencies, Airtel appears better positioned to weather future volatility than in previous cycles.

As the company enters the final quarter of its fiscal year, the focus remains clear: accelerating financial inclusion and leveraging new technologies like AI and satellite connectivity to unlock the immense demand across its 14-country footprint.

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Installed capacity, which sat at just under 70MW in 2024, is projected to reach about 330–340MW by 2026, a fivefold expansion that few emerging markets can reach. 

That scale of expansion results from high demand from cloud providers, financial institutions, digital platforms and AI-driven services that can no longer depend on offshore infrastructure without paying the price in latency, cost and compliance.

Valued between $280 to 300 million today, the market is expected to approach $670 million by 2030, with investments over $1.7 billion by 2027. 

Colocation revenue alone is forecast to grow from about $251 million in 2025 to almost $580 million by 2030, growing at a pace of over 18% a year. 

Hyperscale campuses, carrier-neutral sites and well-engineered Tier III and IV facilities designed for dense, powerful workloads are driving this growth. 

Interestingly, nearly 70% of new data centre capacity planned for West Africa is being developed locally, anchoring Lagos as the region’s primary hyperscale and interconnection hub.

Supported by nationwide fibre initiatives such as Project BRIDGE, which aims to lay 90,000 kilometres of fibre across the country, and a digital economy projected to contribute up to $180 billion to Africa’s GDP by 2026, the foundations are now in place.

Taken together, these explain why 2026 has a lot in store to look forward to. This is the year Nigeria’s data centre market gains larger scale and competitiveness.

These top data centre and cloud projects to watch in 2026 are laying the foundations for how data, cloud and AI will work in Africa’s largest economy.

1. 21st Century Technologies’ 50MW Hyperscale Facility, Ikeja

What makes 21st Century Technologies’ Ikeja project impossible to ignore in 2026 is not just its size, but its intent. At 50MW, this is one of the largest hyperscale builds in West Africa, but its vision goes deeper. 

The facility is being designed for a phase where artificial intelligence, sovereign cloud and national data control are immediate needs. With demand for AI compute increasing across Africa, power and reliability have become the battlegrounds. This project faces that reality head-to-head.

The Ikeja site is engineered to Tier IV standards, with full N+2 redundancy across power, cooling and network layers. That is important because AI and mission-critical cloud workloads do not tolerate downtime. This facility will set a new benchmark for resilience in Nigeria’s data centre market. 

Its AI-ready architecture supports both hyperscale cloud providers and enterprises running heavy models locally, reducing dependence on offshore infrastructure and latency-prone routes. With open-access connectivity and a newly deployed regional network gateway, 21CTL is turning Ikeja into a serious interconnection hub.

This is a homegrown Nigerian hyperscale project at a time when most large facilities are foreign-owned. In 2026, data sovereignty will matter more than ever, especially for governments, banks and AI developers working with sensitive datasets. 

In combining scale, local leadership and global partnerships, 21st Century Technologies is going beyond adding capacity to laying down infrastructure that supports economic growth, skilled jobs and Africa’s long-term digital independence. That is why this project belongs strongly on any watchlist.

2. Airtel Africa’s 38MW Nxtra Hyperscale Data Centre, Eko Atlantic

Airtel Africa’s Nxtra facility at Eko Atlantic is unique because it is being built for the next wave of computing, not the last one. At 38MW, this carrier-neutral hyperscale data centre expands Nigeria’s capacity at a time when AI workloads are rewriting the laws of data centre design. 

High-density racks, GPU-ready halls and serious power planning are now highly indispensable. Nxtra is leaning fully into that transition.

Location is a strategic advantage here. Eko Atlantic provides direct proximity to major subsea cable routes and fibre corridors, translating into lower latency and stronger international reach. For cloud providers and enterprises, this is important. 

In 2026, the ability to deploy AI and cloud services locally, while staying tightly connected to global platforms, will define competitiveness. We expect this facility to attract both hyperscalers and regional platforms looking for neutral ground in Lagos’ fast-crowding data centre sector.

Beyond capacity, Nxtra’s importance lies in timing and scale. Backed by over $120 million in investment and scheduled to go live in early 2026, it arrives just as Nigeria’s cloud market enters its next growth phase. 

Its targeted power efficiency, multiple substations and regulatory alignment give it an edge with fintechs, telecoms and data-heavy enterprises under pressure to keep data onshore. 

This points to the fact that telecom operators now see data centres as core to Africa’s digital economy, not a side business.

3. Open Access Data Centres’ 24MW Hyperscale Expansion, Ilasan

Open Access Data Centres’ Ilasan project earns its place on this list because it solves one of Nigeria’s biggest digital problems, which is connectivity at scale. 

Expanding from 2MW to a planned 24MW by 2026, the Ilasan site is designed to serve hyperscalers, cloud platforms and AI-driven enterprises that demand both power and speed. Sitting directly next to the Equiano subsea cable landing station, it provides one of the lowest-latency environments in West Africa.

What truly differentiates this project is its open-access model. Carrier neutrality means choice, and choice drives competition, resilience and better pricing. Through its Open Access Fabric, OADC is effectively collapsing the distance between Lagos and Europe, making global cloud services feel local. 

With more workloads staying in-country to meet data protection regulations, facilities like Ilasan become strategic assets rather than simple colocation sites.

The scale of investment, $240 million committed as part of an African expansion plan, cannot be ignored. This project reveals a high confidence level in Nigeria’s digital growth. Sustainability is being built in from the start, with renewable energy integration and efficient design reducing long-term operating risk. 

In 2026, success will favour data centres that balance scale, connectivity and cost discipline. OADC’s Ilasan facility does exactly that, positioning Lagos as a regional hub ready to take its place in the global cloud and AI infrastructure map.

4. MTN’s Dabengwa Data and Cloud Centre, Lagos

MTN’s Dabengwa Data and Cloud Centre earns its place on this list of top data centre and cloud projects to watch in 2026 because it represents a transition in how large-scale digital infrastructure is being delivered in West Africa. 

Launched in 2025 and already seeing demand outpace supply, the facility is the region’s largest prefabricated modular data centre. That is important in 2026, when speed, flexibility and reliability are no longer nice-to-haves. At full build-out, the centre provides 9MW of Tier III capacity, designed to scale in phases as demand continues to rise.

What’s most interesting is the build approach. Using 96 prefabricated containers across three floors, the centre was designed to deploy faster, expand cleanly and maintain high resilience under pressure. 

This is a practical response to Nigeria’s infrastructure situation. The modular design allows MTN to add capacity without long construction cycles, while Tier III certification ensures uptime for cloud, enterprise and public sector workloads. Early adoption by government agencies and enterprises shows that trust is already in place.

In 2026, the Dabengwa Centre will not be judged just by size, but by impact. It is already supporting cloud platforms, fintech services and government systems aligned with Nigeria’s digital economy agenda. 

With strong partnerships and deep local market reach, MTN is using this facility to anchor cloud services closer to users and institutions. That combination of scale, speed and adoption is why this project deserves close attention.

5. Kasi Cloud LOS1 Hyperscale Data Centre, Lekki

Kasi Cloud’s LOS1 project is ambitious by any standard, and ambition is exactly why it belongs on this watchlist. Planned as a 100MW hyperscale campus backed by a $250 million investment, LOS1 is designed to operate at a scale Nigeria has not seen before. 

In 2026, scale will be more important than ever. Cloud providers and large platforms are no longer looking for incremental capacity. They want room to grow, and LOS1 is being built to provide it.

Location and backing strengthen the case. Situated on the Lekki Peninsula and supported by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, LOS1 combines strategic geography with sovereign confidence. 

The facility is designed as a carrier-neutral interconnection hub, built to attract global cloud platforms while supporting local digital services. 

Nigeria is not just a consumer of cloud services, but also a host for regional digital infrastructure.

Sustainability pushes LOS1 even further ahead. With a target of 95% renewable energy usage, the project sets a new benchmark for green hyperscale development in Africa. In 2026, energy efficiency will be a deciding factor for hyperscalers weighing long-term operating costs and risk. 

LOS1’s focus on clean power, massive capacity and interconnection makes it a cornerstone project that will change how the world views West Africa.

6. Jovis Nigeria Data Centre, Victoria Island

The Jovis Nigeria Data Centre is among the top data centre and cloud projects to watch in 2026 because it shows where demand is heading, not where it has been. 

Located in Victoria Island, the country’s financial and commercial nerve centre, the project seeks to serve banks, fintechs, corporates and digital platforms that need low latency and local hosting. 

In 2026, proximity will be essential. Data-heavy services cannot afford distance when speed and compliance are on the line.

This project is also part of a growth wave changing Nigeria’s data centre market. With hundreds of megawatts of new capacity expected by 2026, competition will increase, and only well-located, well-built facilities will thrive. 

Jovis benefits from experienced delivery partners and a Tier III design approach that aligns with enterprise and regulatory needs. This is a measured, useful addition to Lagos’ fast-growing infrastructure base.

What makes Jovis one to watch is timing. As data localisation regulations tighten and open banking and digital public services expand, demand for secure domestic hosting will increase. 

Facilities like this help reduce reliance on offshore infrastructure while creating local jobs and skills. In 2026, the Jovis Data Centre will not just be another site in Lagos. It will be a pointer to how Nigeria’s digital economy is getting stronger, one project at a time.

7. Equinix LG3, Lagos

Equinix LG3 is key in 2026 because it marks a turning point, not an expansion. This is the first ground-up Equinix facility in West Africa, and it reveals a deeper, long-term commitment to Nigeria as a regional connectivity hub. 

While earlier presence came through acquisition, LG3 is purpose-built, designed from day one to integrate Lagos into Equinix’s global interconnection platform. That alone changes how international businesses view Nigeria.

Lagos already sits at the crossroads of multiple subsea cable systems, and LG3 is built to convert geography into economic advantage. By bringing global interconnection services directly into Victoria Island, Equinix is shortening the distance between Nigerian enterprises and global markets. 

This facility is expected to become a magnet for multinational firms, cloud platforms and fast-growing local companies that need secure, low-latency access to partners and customers worldwide.

What to watch in 2026 is not just occupancy, but influence. With LG3 going live in the first quarter and backed by a $100 million Africa expansion plan, Equinix is embedding Nigeria into its worldwide fabric of interconnected data centres. 

That pushes Lagos from a regional hosting location to a true global exchange point. For the cloud and enterprise market, this is a structural transition, not a headline project.

8. Rack Centre LGS2 Expansion, Lagos

Rack Centre’s LGS2 expansion stands out because it combines scale, sustainability and neutrality in a way few projects in the region can match. At 12MW, it expands the company’s footprint and positions the campus as one of the largest carrier-neutral sites in West Africa. 

In 2026, capacity alone will not be enough. Data centres that succeed will be those that can scale responsibly and connect efficiently, and this expansion is designed with that reality in mind.

The sustainability angle is not to be ignored. LGS2 builds on Rack Centre’s green credentials, with energy- and water-efficient design that has already set regional benchmarks. This is becoming more important as operators face high energy expenses and pressure from enterprise customers to meet environmental targets. 

The site’s ability to host dense workloads while maintaining efficiency gives it an edge as demand for compute continues to climb.

What makes LGS2 particularly relevant in 2026 is its ecosystem role. With access to all major Atlantic subsea cables and dozens of carriers, Rack Centre is not just adding space, it is strengthening Lagos’ place as an interconnection hub. 

With more data required to stay within national borders, facilities like this will anchor Nigeria’s digital sovereignty while supporting cloud growth at scale.

9. Africa Data Centres (Pan-African Expansion)

Africa Data Centres earns its place on this list not because of a single site, but because of its reach. In 2026, the story will move from isolated facilities to networks, and ADC is building one of the largest carrier-neutral footprints on the continent. 

Its expansion across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Morocco and other key markets makes it a backbone in Africa’s digital economy.

Demand is the driver. Internet usage, digital payments, enterprise cloud adoption and content consumption are all accelerating, and latency is no longer acceptable. Hosting workloads closer to users is becoming essential. 

ADC’s strategy is a direct response to that pressure. Creating interconnected hubs across multiple countries, it enables cloud providers and enterprises to deploy regionally while staying compliant with local data rules.

In 2026, ADC’s importance will be measured by how seamlessly it links markets. Its facilities are designed to support hyperscale platforms, financial services and governments that need reliability and choice. 

Africa’s data centre capacity is expanding, and ADC’s pan-African model doesn’t just make it a landlord, but an enabler of cross-border digital trade and growth.

10. Project BRIDGE – Nigeria’s National Fibre Backbone

Project BRIDGE belongs on this list because data centres do not operate in isolation. Fibre is the silent dependency, and in 2026 this project will determine how far Nigeria’s cloud ambitions can really go. 

By planning to roll out 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre, BRIDGE addresses the single biggest limitation facing large-scale digital infrastructure, and that is national connectivity.

What makes BRIDGE different is reach. While most data centre projects are clustered around Lagos, this initiative extends high-capacity connectivity to all 774 local government areas. 

That changes the economics of cloud services. This is the moment when data centres stop serving only coastal markets and begin supporting nationwide digital services in health, education, finance and public administration.

In practical terms, BRIDGE is the foundation beneath every hyperscale build planned for 2026 and beyond. Without reliable fibre backhaul, scale is theoretical. 

With it, cloud platforms can provide consistent performance across the country. For investors and operators, this project is the infrastructure that makes every other project on this list viable.

The post Top Data Centre & Cloud Projects to Watch in 2026 appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The commemoration, held at Airtel Nigeria’s Headquarters in Lagos, featured team-building sessions, volunteer spotlights, and personal testimonials showcasing the meaningful impact employees continue to make in their communities. The event also served as a rallying call, encouraging more staff to enrol in the EVP and join the expanding volunteer network.

Over the years, the EVP has become a cornerstone of Airtel Africa Foundation’s social investment strategy, empowering employees to champion local CSR projects focused on education, digital skills, environmental sustainability, and youth empowerment.

Volunteers have played central roles in initiatives such as the International Day of Education Essay Competition, Teacher-for-a-Day classroom engagements, beach clean-ups, market sensitisation campaigns on plastic waste reduction, and the Airtel-3MTT NextGen Fellowship for young Nigerians.

Reflecting on the celebration, Dinesh Balsingh, chief executive officer, Airtel Nigeria, said:

“International Volunteer Day reminds us that real impact begins with people who are willing to show up and serve. Today, we honour the incredible dedication of Airtel employees, whose commitment of time and talent drives our progress. Their generosity is the backbone of our work and the reason we continue to transform communities across Africa.”

In Nigeria, the EVP has delivered measurable impact through landmark interventions, including financial support to Lagos State’s COVID-19 response efforts. In 2025 alone, Airtel Nigeria volunteers contributed over 200 service hours, touching the lives of more than 100,000 beneficiaries nationwide.

Femi Adeniran, director, Corporate Communications & CSR, further highlighted the spirit behind the programme:

“Volunteering is at the heart of who we are. Behind every empowered learner, every restored environment, and every connected community is an individual who chose to make a difference. We remain committed to using technology, resources, and collective human effort to build a digitally inclusive, socially responsible, and sustainable Africa.”

International Volunteer Day offers a global moment to recognise volunteers whose often unseen contributions deliver long-term social impact. As participation in the EVP continues to grow, the Airtel Africa Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to education, digital literacy, environmental stewardship, and economic opportunity for underserved communities across the continent.

The post Int’l Volunteer Day: Airtel Africa Foundation Celebrates Employee Impact appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The process is being led by the Board’s Audit and Risk Committee and follows mandatory auditor rotation policies that apply to its majority shareholder, Bharti Airtel Limited, under Indian regulations. It also aligns with global governance standards.

The company said the preferred audit firm will be presented for approval at the 2027 Annual General Meeting, with the new auditor expected to take over the audit of the financial year ending March 31, 2028.

Airtel added that an update will be issued once the tender is concluded.

The telecoms firm’s share price closed flat at N2,270. Airtel Africa is listed on the Main Board of the NGX with a market value of about N8.53 trillion and an outstanding share base of 3.76 billion units.

The group operates in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, and several other African markets.

The post Airtel Africa Begins Process to Appoint New External Auditor appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.