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 center 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 center 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 also reiterated its commitment to responsible investment and operations that prioritise sustainability.

“Across all our sites, including LG3, we work to reduce environmental impact and improve efficiency”, the company said.

The post Equinix to Invest $22 Million on New Data Center in Lagos (LG3) appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

This initiative aims to enhance connectivity across southern Nigeria over the next two years, with a particular focus on Port Harcourt and Lagos.

The company is expanding its reach in Nigeria, following its $320 million acquisition of MainOne in 2022. This acquisition allowed Equinix to enter the West African market, and now, the $140 million investment is aimed at decentralising the country’s digital infrastructure, which has been long dominated by Lagos. 

By setting up its first data centre in Port Harcourt and scaling its third Lagos facility, Equinix seeks to alleviate the over-concentration of data infrastructure in the commercial hub.

“This move is not just about expansion; it’s about equity in access to digital infrastructure,” said Wole Abu, managing director of Equinix West Africa. “We’re creating redundancy and expanding bandwidth capacity, which will have a ripple effect on the region’s digital economy.”

The new Port Harcourt data centre, PR1, will also serve as the first landing station for Meta’s 2Africa submarine cable in Nigeria. This cable, which is one of the most advanced global systems, will increase the region’s bandwidth capacity significantly. 

Equinix’s focus is to reduce Lagos’ monopoly on digital infrastructure, and this investment seeks to create new growth corridors for Nigeria’s digital economy.

While Nigeria’s digital sector has made great strides in the past two decades, there’s still much work ahead. Mobile subscriptions have surged from zero to over 140 million since the 2001 GSM licence auction, and data infrastructure has blossomed with the introduction of fibre-optic networks and tower companies. 

However, much of this infrastructure is still based in Lagos, leaving regions like Port Harcourt and others in southern Nigeria underconnected.

The arrival of major international companies such as Equinix has started to shift the balance, but the country’s broadband penetration, according to the National Broadband Plan, still lags behind. While the plan targets 70% broadband penetration by 2025, Nigeria is currently sitting at 45%, meaning there’s a long way to go to achieve full coverage.

“Equinix’s investment is a step in the right direction,” says Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former finance minister of Nigeria. “By investing in new data centres and connectivity, the company is supporting Nigeria’s push for more inclusive and reliable digital infrastructure that can support the economy’s growth.”

But the challenges don’t stop at the coastline. While Nigeria’s major cities benefit from the latest subsea cables like the 2Africa and Google’s Equiano, the inland regions still face a lack of middle-mile infrastructure. This vital fibre-optic network links the cable landing stations to the rest of the country, and without it, Nigeria risks facing a fragmented digital ecosystem.

The government, however, is not sitting idle. The Federal Ministry of Communications has launched the Broadband Alliance, an initiative to expand fibre networks across Nigeria. A key aim is to ensure that internet services reach all regions, even the underserved areas far from the coastal landing points.

Equinix’s expansion is not just about addressing infrastructure gaps but about building resilience in Nigeria’s digital economy. In response to potential threats such as cable damage from underwater rockslides, Equinix has implemented a strategy to route traffic across multiple cables in an active/active setup, ensuring that disruptions will go unnoticed by customers.

“Our goal is to ensure resilience,” Wole Abu explained. “By improving infrastructure redundancy, we aim to prevent any future disruption from impacting the experience of our customers.”

This expansion into Port Harcourt also spells out a comprehensive strategy of decentralising internet access across Nigeria. In taking these steps, Equinix is taking up a big part in the country’s movement to diversify its digital economy and close the digital divide that has plagued the nation for years.

This initiative will go beyond contributing to Nigeria’s digital capacity to also enable economic opportunities in regions that have long been sidelined in the country’s tech-driven future. With Equinix’s new facilities and greater international connectivity, the hope is that other private sector players will follow suit, accelerating Nigeria’s digital transformation.

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In his role, Wole will oversee the Equinix business in Nigeria, Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire and will work closely with both local businesses and multinational companies to build on the strong foundations for connectivity and growth in the region bringing the opportunity of Equinix to the West African region.

Wole takes over the reins of Equinix’s West Africa business from MainOne’s founder and CEO, Funke Opeke, who remains with Equinix as a strategic advisor in the West African region through March 2026.

Wole is a seasoned professional with over 20 years’ experience in the Nigerian Telecoms Industry.

Wole Abu, managing director for West Africa at Equinix, said;

“I’m excited to be joining Equinix, as we share a common vision for expanding digital infrastructure across Africa. This mission is crucial for bringing life-enhancing services to the region and bridging the digital divide. By empowering both enterprises and individuals, we’re enabling broader participation in the global digital economy. I’m eager to contribute to this transformative work and help create a more connected, accessible digital landscape throughout Africa.”

Commenting on Wole’s appointment, Judith Gardiner, Vice President for Growth and Emerging Markets at Equinix said: “We are delighted to have Wole join Equinix as the leader driving our operations in West Africa. With his expertise, we will support local businesses and multinational companies in expanding into Africa and beyond through Equinix. This marks a significant milestone for Equinix as we continue to develop our presence in Africa, establishing crucial strategic data hubs, accelerating digital technology development, supporting our customers, and contributing to the continent’s immense growth potential through robust digital infrastructure.”

Who is Wole Abu?

Wole Abu joins Equinix from Liquid Intelligent Technologies where he held the position of CEO for Nigeria and Africa Data Centre (ADC). As well as driving business success, Wole is passionate about driving societal and social change through technology and is focussed on driving a successful strategy for connectivity and digital access in West Africa.

Prior to his appointment at Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Abu served as the Chief Executive Officer of Pan African Towers, a telecom infrastructure company he built to being one of the leading Towercos in Nigeria. Abu also served as Vice President of Sales at Airtel Nigeria, where he also held several senior management roles in the Human Resources, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Legal, and Marketing departments respectively.

This polyfocal blend of functional skills, makes Abu a very experienced leader and force in the telecoms sector as he is poised to bridge the connectivity gap in Africa in an environmentally sustainable fashion.

This is demonstrated as he was recently named one of the top 20 Towercos Chief Executives in the World by TowerXchange.

Abu, in his storied career also won the Nigeria Tech Innovation and Telecom Award (NTITA) by the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) for his outstanding contributions to the growth and development of the telecom industry. Abu was also elected by the same association to serve as its Publicity Secretary.

He has managed across start-ups and mature companies, leading these businesses into periods of massive and rapid growth through new business service rollouts, while driving positive change in the respective companies.

While at Pan African Towers, Mr. Abu led the company to win four significant awards in its two years of business operations.

Abu is creative, innovative, visionary and a strategic planner who has an excellent sense of business ethics and corporate governance.

With his continued leadership style, rare enthusiasm and heightened drive to revolutionise the telecom industry in Nigeria, Mr. Abu is dedicated to making a significant impact on the society.

Highlights and Qualifications

• Abu is a member of the Project Management Institute, and volunteers regularly for causes that protect families and empowers communities.
• He holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering with Honours from the University of Benin and an MBA from the Lagos Business School.
• In 2012, Abu attended the Indian Institute of Business Management, Ahmedabad where he acquired a certification in Business Administration and Management.
• Abu has attended several leadership courses in top educational institutions and consistently gives talks and makes presentations in top conferences and seminars globally… [Source]

Wole will also lead Equinix’s key local engagements to make a meaningful impact to society through the support of initiatives focused on education, sustainability, and the betterment of society as well as driving the vital environmental and community initiatives so crucial to the sustainable goals and vision of Equinix.

Wole’s appointment as Managing Director for Equinix’s West African business follows shortly after the opening of Equinix’s newest data center in Johannesburg.

The post Meet Wole Abu newly Appointed MD Equinix West Africa appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

While Funke Opeke, who founded MainOne in 2008, will no longer oversee day-to-day operations, she will remain influential within the company, transitioning into a strategic advisory role that will extend through to March 2026. 

MainOne is entering a new chapter under the leadership of Wole Abu, a well-known figure in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.

Formerly CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies Nigeria, Wole Abu has been appointed as Opeke’s successor and his extensive experience includes leadership positions at Pan African Towers and Airtel Nigeria, making him a fitting choice to guide MainOne through its next phase of growth.

In his new role, Abu will focus on expanding MainOne’s internet service offerings and data centre operations across the region.

Sources close to the matter report that Equinix, which acquired MainOne in April 2022, plans to undertake several major infrastructure projects, including three new data centre facilities and an increase in fibre capacity.

MainOne’s brand will continue under Equinix’s ownership, preserving its identity while benefitting from the resources and global expertise that Equinix brings. 

Since the acquisition, MainOne’s operations have been bolstered by Equinix’s industry footprint, making it one of the largest exits in Africa’s tech ecosystem. 

The acquisition of MainOne, valued at $320 million, shows the growing interest in Africa’s digital infrastructure as global players aim to capture the expanding demand for internet connectivity and data services across the continent.

Under Opeke’s leadership, MainOne deployed the first private submarine cable on Africa’s West Coast in 2010 and extensive fibre-optic expansion efforts in Lagos. 

In 2013, MainOne installed a 27-kilometre fibre optic cable network covering Lagos’ Yaba area, known as Nigeria’s Silicon Valley. This investment attracted numerous tech startups to the area, facilitating the growth of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem and supporting firms like Andela, CcHUB, Paga, Hotels.ng, and Flutterwave.

The leadership transition occurs at an important time, as Equinix strengthens its efforts in the region following the recent inauguration of a data centre in Johannesburg. 

With Abu’s appointment, Equinix is focused on advancing connectivity and supporting West African enterprises with cutting-edge digital infrastructure. 

Elated about the role, Abu shared the vision of expanding digital access across Africa to facilitate economic inclusivity and support regional development. 

Equinix stated that Abu’s leadership would be key in facilitating partnerships with both local and international businesses, driving the growth of digital services throughout West Africa.

MainOne did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the leadership transition.

The post Funke Opeke Steps Down as MainOne MD, Wole Abu Appointed Successor appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Causes of these fiber cuts, according to industry players, are primarily related to government and private sector construction activities, accounting for almost 80% of terrestrial cable cuts.

Fishing trawlers, dredgers, oil companies, and vessel activities have also been identified as contributing significantly to disruptions in subsea cables.

Thus, the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) further highlighted fibre cuts as major stumbling blocks to the Nigerian telecom sector’s growth, and recommended ‘Dig Once Policy’ as solution to this challenge.

Similarly, the association affirmed its readiness to rally its members take strategic measures to tackle submarine fibre disruption in the country.

Tony Emoekpere, the president of ATCON, at the first edition of ATCON’s Critical Conversation Breakfast Meeting held in Lagos with the theme: ‘the Direct And Indirect Cause And Impact Of Metro, Terrestrial And Submarine Fibre Disruptions (Cuts)–Short, Medium And Long Term Sustainable Solutions’, stated that, operators cannot continue to pay lip service to issues and challenges that have constituted stumbling block to the telecom sector growth.

Fibre Cuts and Associated Financial Losses

The president recall that few months ago, there was a reported case of subsea cable cuts which significantly impacted Nigeria and some African countries, adding that,

“The incidences of Metro, Terrestrial and Submarine Fibre Disruptions have become a recurring decimal which must be addressed by relevant agencies at all levels of government. Our members have had to pay a substantial amount of money to have all these disruptions fixed and this is impacting on their operational expenses which should not be if the perpetrators are brought to book.”

On advocacy, the president said ATCON is seeking ways going forward, adding that ducts should be built when new roads are being constructed.

“There is a need to enforce and implement the provision in the Nigeria National Broadband Band Plan 2020-2025 which states that NCC should have a desk officer in each state of the Federation who is expected to be in charge of the fiber network in order to minimize Fiber cuts during roads construction,” he recommended.

The president averred that the telecom sector has been reported to contribute over 14 per cent to the nation’s GDP, adding that, the sector could have done much better if issues like fiber disruption which has constituted a threat to the manifestation of its inherent potentials, is dealt with.

Critical National Infrastructure Protection

Emoekpere however stressed the need for more collaboration between telecoms operators and government, with developers and road contractors to mitigate the challenges of fiber cuts.

“There must be compensation for fibre cable cuts. Training and awareness creation on the importance of fibre cable and the danger and negative impact of fibre cable cut, cannot be overemphasised. The federal government should declare telecoms assets as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

“Government should come up with policies like ‘Dig Once Policy’ for the implementation of fibre laying to avoid operators damaging cables of other operators during cable laying. There must be a clear database of government agencies giving approvals for road construction to enable telecom companies to have an idea of who they are dealing with as well as the need to have a status update on task responsibilities of ATCON for a follow-up of ATCON activities,” he advocated.

In the same vein, the CEO of NetAccess, Lekan Balogun said, the major causes of fibre cable cut includes Govt/Private Contractors, man-made, planning and Design and Natural causes, while stressing that, there is need for constant engagement between ATCON members, the government and developers.

Balogun proposed short, medium and long term recommendations to forestall fibre cuts, adding that the use of protective materials like metals rather than plastics will help protect the cables from unwanted cuts.

ATCON members at the breakfast series widely agreed that the government has a crucial role to play in protecting telecoms infrastructure through the passage of the Critical National Infrastructure bill, promoting inter-agency cooperation, increasing awareness, and aligning certification for fiber optic service providers.

Although the National Broadband Plan was praised as a good policy, stakeholders suggested closer monitoring of its implementation to ensure its success.

Some photos at the event:

During a panel session moderated by Mr. Wole Abu, the chief executive officer at Liquid Intelligent Technologies, industry experts unanimously agreed that the Lagos- Calabar coastal highway project is also a major risk to the integrity of the submarine cables as all landing stations are on the seashore of the Lagos end where construction has started from.

“Nigeria, and Africa as a whole, could experience another internet outage if these cables are damaged during construction. This would have a severe impact on the economy, particularly on financial services and other sectors relying on digital infrastructure. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to engage continuously with ATCON to mitigate the risks associated with this construction activity”, Abu said.

They agreed that there is ample room for collaboration between telecom companies internally and with government agencies such as NIMASA, NIWA, FMWH and the Navy to monitor and provide support for submarine cable systems.

“It is crucial that a concerted effort is made today to secure our digital future”.

Meanwhile, the telecommunications industry has come a long way, contributing more than 14% of Nigeria’s GDP and poised for hypergrowth with the emerging technology trends.

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As a one-stop shop technology company offering high-speed connectivity, cloud and cyber security services with unmatched resilience and scalability, Liquid Intelligent Technologies entry into Nigeria will give new impetus to the country and region’s digital transformation journey.

“We were the first African company to lay over 100,000 km of fibre network across the African continent, and we plan to extend our reach into Nigeria. Expanding our operations here reiterates our interest in working with the government to achieve the objectives of Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan (2021 – 2025) and to transform Nigeria into a leading digital economy, a vision enshrined in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020 – 2030).

Through our expertise, we will work towards ensuring that businesses and individuals can add to the growing digital economy setting Nigeria on its path to transform into a tech powerhouse in Africa,” says Hardy Pemhiwa, Group President & CEO of Cassava Technologies.

The acceleration of digital transformation and the rising demand for cloud services has made Nigeria ripe for investment for Liquid Intelligent Technologies. Its world-class infrastructure and scalable digital services help Nigerian businesses create jobs and opportunities, thereby reducing poverty. Liquid Intelligent Technologies is committed to playing its part as a critical driver in the country’s economic and societal growth.

According to Wole Abu, CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies Nigeria, “Access to new and innovative technologies and high-speed connectivity has changed how organisations work across the continent. West Africa boasts the largest connectivity on the continent, connecting Nigeria locally and internationally. Liquid’s Intelligent Technology brings de-facto means of backhauling traffic within middle-mile networks, allowing the effective deployment of broadband networks in Nigeria and the rest of the region”.

Through partnerships with international tech giants like Microsoft, Meta, AWS, and Oracle, Liquid Intelligent Technologies is redefining network, cloud and cyber security offerings, bringing innovative business applications, intelligent cloud services and world-class security to Nigeria.

In addition, the company’s pan-African footprint uniquely positions it to utilise its infrastructure to accelerate the availability of new intelligent technologies, including the high computing power of the cloud, artificial intelligence and cyber security services to customers.   

“In the last two years, we have seen Nigeria benefit exponentially as businesses transformed digitally. The need now is to elevate local businesses with increased access to digital solutions that will level the playing field compared to their European and US counterparts. In addition, the expertise we have garnered in the last two decades of partnering with businesses in other African countries will play a crucial role as we provide companies with the necessary tools to enable further growth,” says Abu.

Liquid Intelligent Technologies is a company built by Africans for Africans and looks forward to partnering with the public and private sectors to offer digital services to the widest possible client base on the continent. The organisation will replicate the success that it has realised for its customers in other countries by bringing its world-class services to the doorsteps of Nigerian businesses and individuals.

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