Dr. Ayotunde Coker, chief executive officer of Open Access Data Centre, wants Nigeria to look at a different number.

“For every megawatt, you do about $10 million in construction investment,” he told ICT editors at an interactive session, recently. “So if you build a 10-megawatt data centre, just under $100 million, you can have up to 50 times that in direct or induced impact on your economy.”

The arithmetic he presented was striking: a single 10-megawatt data centre, on his model, generates up to $5 billion in downstream economic value, through engineering contracts, construction supply chains, security companies upskilled to data centre standards, generator and power infrastructure spending, operating staff employment, and the multiplier effects of high-quality digital services delivered locally.

OADC itself is investing $240 million in a 24-megawatt hyperscale facility in Lekki, a figure that, on Coker’s 50x multiplier model, implies a potential downstream economic impact in the range of $12 billion when fully operational and matured.

The construction and operation of data centres, Coker argued, is one of the most effective forms of industrial capacity-building that Nigeria can pursue.

“We’ve created a supply chain in Nigeria for data centre build capability that didn’t exist ten years ago. The M&E companies, the generator companies, the security companies, the architects who now understand the kind of architectural requirements for data centres, international companies like Vertiv and Schneider Electric are growing their local capabilities here.”

The FX dimension of the directive added another layer to the economic case. For institutions that currently rely on offshore cloud infrastructure, compliance costs include ongoing foreign currency expenditure, dollar-denominated cloud hosting fees that fluctuate with exchange rate movements. Localisation converts a significant portion of that cost from a dollar obligation to a naira one, reducing currency exposure at scale across the financial services sector.

“If your market is in naira and your costs, in a way, are in naira, even though in the cycle of transactions you have some dollar exposure, at least it’s not that immediate impact where you’re going to have to find foreign currency on the day your invoice is due,” Coker said.

But the economic opportunity Coker described extended well beyond financial services, and well beyond the CBN’s current directive.

The sectors queuing behind the banks

When asked which industries would be next to face data localisation requirements, Coker identified three with particular conviction.

Oil and gas emerged as his primary candidate.

“The oil and gas sector is going through a significant, fantastic transformation that needs to be enabled through technology,” he said. “Any agile business that thinks they’ll build their own data centre has already lost their agility, by the time you put your capital into building a data centre, you should be building wells, expanding your gas facilities. You’ve lost the race.”

He predicted that data sovereignty requirements for oil and gas exploration data, much of which is currently held offshore, were a foreseeable policy direction.

Manufacturing and pharmaceuticals represented a second wave.

“The ERP systems that companies in manufacturing, pharma, and FMCG are using are hosted in Germany or the Netherlands, and they’re all complaining about latency. The key ERP companies that establish locally will see a whole wave of migration for practical reasons.”

State governments represented a third.

“As states look to expand their citizen and government services, you’ll see more shifts. But I always say to states, no point building a data centre. Go build a school, build a road, build a hospital. Partner with people who know how to do data centres. Automate government, bring in e-government.”

The economic model he described, government as anchor tenant for edge data centres rather than builder of them, mirrors infrastructure development patterns already emerging in South Africa, where OADC operates more than 40 data centres and 32 edge data centres.

The signal to global hyperscalers

One of Coker’s most pointed observations concerned the secondary effect of Nigeria’s localisation directive on global cloud providers.

“It sends a signal to the world that data sovereignty and localisation is key, in legislated form. It’ll trigger the global providers to bring their own scale of cloud here, which is good for building our digital infrastructure scale,” he said.

That signal appears to be landing: Nigeria’s data centre market is projected to grow from $322.65 million in 2025 to $782.82 million by 2031, at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 16 per cent, driven in part by accelerating regulatory data-residency mandates.

Coker said the directive had already generated a measurable shift in OADC’s own inquiry volume.

“We’re now starting to actually see some of the inquiries around how this might happen with our data centres,” he confirmed, an early signal that compliance planning, however tentative, has begun among at least some affected institutions.

The broader case he made, however, was not narrowly about OADC’s pipeline. It was about a country at the threshold of a digital infrastructure build-out that, if executed deliberately, could anchor economic value at a scale the CBN directive itself does not fully articulate.

“The reason I give that example,” he said of the 50x multiplier, “is that these are some of the direct consequences. You start to operate, you have operating engineers, you have people to support and maintain your generators, you’re connecting to power companies that now know they need to scale up to deliver megawatts. And being able to deliver high-quality digital services locally, at its own value, is what this is all about.”

The post OADC CEO Predicts Three Industries Set to Follow Banks on Data Localisation appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Faith Waithaka takes over from the outgoing chairman of ADCA, Dr. Ayotunde Coker, according to a statement on the association’s website.

ADCA is the leading industry body championing a robust and interconnected data centre and cloud infrastructure ecosystem across Africa and has elected new board members and executive leadership team, during its Annual General Meeting which marks a pivotal moment in ADCA’s commitment to accelerating digital transformation across the continent.

With Africa’s digital economy expanding at an unprecedented pace, the newly appointed leadership team will play a critical role in steering ADCA’s strategic agenda—fostering collaboration, enhancing industry standards, and advocating for policies that enable sustainable growth.

The new Chairperson, Faith Waithaka is an accomplished leader with deep roots in Africa’s technology ecosystem.

She is is set to guide the association’s strategic priorities, aligning the board and its members around a common goal: building a thriving, world-class infrastructure landscape.

“I am deeply honored and humbled as I step into the role of Board Chair of the Africa Data Centre Association (ADCA) at such a pivotal time for our industry. The Data Centre sector is not only the backbone of the digital economy, but also an ecosystem that demands both resilience, responsibility, and reliability. Having spent my career immersed in its technical and operational depths, I understand the urgency of our mission and the opportunity we hold. I also want to sincerely thank our outgoing Chair, Dr. Ayotunde Coker, for his exceptional leadership and steadfast dedication. You have laid a strong foundation, and I am grateful to build upon it.

“I am excited at the opportunities for growth of the digital infrastructure across Africa. The continent is rich with potential, innovation, and talent and as demand for connectivity and cloud services accelerates, we have a responsibility to build with intention, sustainability, and long-term impact in mind.” — said, Faith Waithaka, Chairperson, Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA).

Bringing continuity and unwavering dedication to the leadership team, Nikki Blake returns as General Secretary.

Her re-election reflects both the trust of the ADCA community and her proven ability to advance the association’s mission.

Blake’s experience ensures stability at a time of ambitious growth, as she continues to advocate for stronger industry collaboration and capacity building.

Commenting, Nikki Blake, general secretary, Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA), said:

”I am honored to be re-elected as General Secretary of ADCA. It’s a privilege to serve alongside our new Chairperson, Faith Waithaka—together, we step into the next two years with bold vision, unity, and purpose. The best is yet to come!”

Stepping into the role of Treasurer, Lee Perrin brings a sharp focus on operational excellence and sustainable growth.

With Africa’s data centre landscape facing both significant opportunities and complex challenges, Perrin is poised to help navigate this dynamic environment.

“With Africa’s digital infrastructure expanding rapidly, we face both exciting opportunities and real challenges — from building a strong talent pipeline to improving data centre reporting and navigating complex supply chain dynamics. My focus on the board will be to support skills development, accelerate industry transparency, and help unlock practical solutions that move our sector forward. As a combined force, I believe the ADCA community has the strength and knowledge to build a resilient and world-class digital infrastructure landscape for Africa. I’m proud to be part of that journey and look forward to what we can achieve together.”– said Lee Perrin, Treasurer, Africa Data Centres Associations (ADCA).

Building upon the strong foundation of its newly elected executive leadership, the Africa Data Centre Association (ADCA) has further strengthened its governance with the addition of a distinguished cohort of new board members.

Together, they will help shape the strategic roadmap for building a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready digital infrastructure ecosystem. 

ADCA’s Board

The newly elected board members bring a wealth of experience and a diversity of perspectives, each contributing unique insights to propel ADCA’s mission forward:

Dr. Angus Hay (Regional Executive: South Africa, Africa Data Centres):

A founding member of ADCA and a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience in Africa’s data centre landscape, Dr. Hay combines deep industry knowledge with strategic vision. His early role in establishing South Africa’s internet infrastructure underscores his long-standing commitment to advancing digital growth across the continent. His guidance will be instrumental in steering ADCA towards sustainable progress.

Lee Perrin (Data Centre MEA Director, CBRE Global):

In addition to his role as Treasurer, Perrin’s expertise spans skills development, supply chain optimisation, and market research, all critical components of Africa’s evolving data centre sector. His focus on operational excellence and sustainable growth strengthens the board’s collective ability to drive transformative outcomes.

Paul Schonborn (CEO, STELLARIX Madagascar):

As the CEO of STELLARIX Madagascar, Schonborn brings invaluable insights from a fast-growing African market. With extensive experience across ICT, telecoms, and corporate communications, and a firm belief in inclusive growth, he champions accessible and reliable digital services. His pan-African perspective and commitment to responsible partnerships will be key assets in advancing ADCA’s regional impact.

Roderick de Boer (Director of Business Development, Equinix Africa & Middle East):

De Boer brings with him the global insights of Equinix, enriching ADCA with an international perspective. His role in fostering regional growth and connecting African markets to global digital hubs positions him as a valuable advocate for the continent’s integration into the worldwide digital economy.

Snehar Shah (CEO, IX Africa Data Centres): With a proven track record of scaling tech businesses across East Africa and currently spearheading the development of a hyperscale data centre in the region, Shah, brings a deep understanding of regional dynamics and the immense growth opportunities within the African market.

The newly elected Chairperson, Ms. Waithaka, extended a warm welcome to the new board members and shares her enthusiasm about working together to drive the association’s mission forward saying;

“I would like to extend a warm welcome to our newly appointed board members. Your insights and leadership come at a crucial time, as we embark on the journey ahead to promote and develop growth for the industry together. I look forward to working alongside my fellow board members, our exceptional management and marketing team, as well as our valued ADCA members to build a future that is sustainable, secure, and bold in its ambition. It is a privilege to lead in a space where infrastructure meets innovation, and where every decision helps power not just growth, but inclusion, equity, and opportunity across Africa and beyond. When we talk about the future of digital infrastructure, one thing is clear: Africa is not just part of the solution, “AFRICA is the solution!”, she said. 

The Africa Data Centre Association (ADCA) expresses its profound confidence that the collective wisdom, extensive experience, and unwavering dedication of these newly elected board members, working in close collaboration with the executive leadership, will be the driving force behind achieving the association’s ambitious goals.

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Open Access Data Centres (OADC), a WIOCC Group Company – established to transform the provision of data centre services for Africa, has applauded the recent foreign exchange (FX) rates unification in Nigeria.

The company on a US$500 million-plus, multi-year investment programme that will strengthen key elements of the continent’s digital infrastructure, believes that with the FX unification investors can now estimate the rate at which they can acquire equipment, among other obligations, while planning to invest in Nigeria.

Already, the connectivity and Data Centre infrastructure arm of West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) is feeling the impact of the new forex policy in their business operations in the country.

Speaking during OADC’s breakfast meeting in Lagos, Dr. Ayotunde Coker, CEO OADC (Africa), said they are actively building data centres across Africa.

“We have taken the burden of organisations in building their own data centres, and we will continue to expand our data centres as the demand increases. Our value proposition is to ensure that businesses that are connected to our data centres, maintain zero downtime in all their operations”

– Dr. Coker said.

“The issue of barriers and limitations to connectivity and data centre infrastructure will be over as WIOCC and OADC will continue to provide unlimited connectivity and open access from our data centre facilities.”

Slawomir Cieslinski, Director, Business Development at WIOCC (Nigeria), speaking about business operations in the country said the new forex policy has impacted their business operation positively.

“The release of the foreign exchange impacted our businesses a lot. We had some problems in the past when we tried to buy some equipment from our Nigerian vendors and they had to cut in the naira for equipment. We have to evaluate the offers, so we were getting offers from abroad and when you get them from abroad and doing the evaluation, you have to compare apple to apple and you have to convert it to dollars. When you convert to dollars, you have to use the CBN rate which is the official rate”,

Cieslinski said.

“This was disqualifying Nigerian vendors because after converting naira to dollar, they are two times more expensive than the competitors from abroad,” he added

He disclosed that the forex policy has had a positive impact on their business while also impacting them in other areas.

OADC has commenced the phase three of its world-class data centre located in Lekki Nigeria while and replicating such investments in other African countries.

This world-class, OADC Lagos LOS1 is a purpose-built, high specification data centre, situated on a prime four-hectares site in Lekki, making it the largest data centre campus in West Africa.

The carrier neutral facility will deliver up to 20megawatts site load across more than 7,200m (square) of white space-sufficient for 3,200 racks.

Meanwhile, Dr. Coker told business partners and clients at the breakfast meeting that outsourcing any mission-critical element of their business requires careful consideration.

He highlighted issues around redundancy/uptime, OPEX vs CAPEX, professional expertise, scalability, and minimising environmental impact as chief among reasons businesses should embrace OADC services.

Continuing he said, “OADC has a vision for Africa. We are constructing a pan-African network of carrier-neutral data centres to support organisations extending business across Africa and we will deliver all the scalability and flexibility you require, together with unparalleled levels of interaction, expert assistance and partnership in tailoring solutions that match your current and future needs”.

He added that, with much of the design of OADC data centres undertaken in Africa, they will ensure that Africa-specific requirements and environmental conditions are integral to their solutions.

“Partnering with us means engaging with an innovative and truly client-centric data centre experience, putting you at the centre of Africa’s digital transformation”,

Dr. Coker said.

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