Onome Amuge
MTN Nigeria’s Dabengwa Data Centre in Lagos has secured Tier III Certification for Constructed Facility from the Uptime Institute, a milestone that positions the telecoms giant to play a more decisive role in Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy.
The certification, announced this week, showcases MTN’s strategy of extending beyond mobile connectivity into critical digital infrastructure, at a time when demand for data storage, cloud services, and enterprise solutions is accelerating across Africa’s most populous nation.
Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, described the development as proof of the company’s long-term commitment to infrastructure resilience. “This certification is a testament to the hard work, strategic focus, and collaboration across our teams and partners, in line with global best practices. It reflects our commitment to building top-tier infrastructure that supports Nigeria’s digital future,” he said.
Nigeria’s data centre industry has seen a flurry of activity in recent years, driven by rising cloud adoption, fintech expansion, and government digitisation initiatives. Lagos alone now hosts several Tier III-certified facilities, including those operated by Rack Centre and MainOne.
By adding Dabengwa to the list, MTN is not just strengthening its technical backbone but also sending a signal to enterprise clients seeking reliable local hosting options. Analysts say the move could enable MTN to deepen its presence in high-value enterprise services, where uptime, compliance, and business continuity are critical.
Tier III certification is a globally recognised benchmark of resilience, guaranteeing multiple paths for power and cooling and allowing maintenance without downtime. Facilities certified at this level are expected to achieve 99.982 percent uptime, translating to no more than 1.6 hours of annual downtime.
The Dabengwa facility had earlier obtained Tier III Certification for Design Documentation, and now, with the constructed facility nod, it joins an elite group of only four data centres in Nigeria to hold both certifications.
Built using a modular design of 96 prefabricated containers in its first phase, the facility also incorporates AI-driven energy optimisation and hybrid cloud capabilities, underscoring MTN’s focus on sustainability and efficiency.
The milestone aligns with MTN Nigeria’s Ambition 2025 strategy, which puts resilient digital infrastructure at the centre of growth. Beyond consumer connectivity, the company is investing in future-ready assets to support enterprises, cloud providers, and public institutions seeking digital transformation.
