Airtel Africa has kicked off the construction of what is touted to become East Africa’s largest data centre at Tatu City.
The mega facility, launched under its data centre arm, Nxtra by Airtel Africa, is designed to power the next wave of cloud and AI services in the region.
When complete, it the will have a planned capacity of 44MW, equipped with the latest generation of servers, GPU-ready racks for AI workloads, and a guaranteed 99.999 per cent uptime.
The center will also feature multiple redundant fibre paths and top-level security systems, ensuring reliability for hyperscalers, enterprises, and governments.
ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo, who graced the groundbreaking ceremony, indicated that the project aligns perfectly with the national government’s digital transformation goals.
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“The scale and quality of this facility will firmly place Kenya on the map as a trusted host for global and regional digital infrastructure,” said Kabogo said.
He added: “Above all, it is a reflection of confidence in Kenya’s economy, policies, and our vision for a digitally enabled society.”
The mega data centre is part of Airtel Africa’s wider strategy to strengthen the continent’s digital backbone and democratise access to cloud services.
Speaking at the groundbreaking, Nxtra Africa CEO Yashnath Issur indicated that the facility represents a long-term investment in Africa’s digital future.
“By building specialized data centre capacity that meets long-term digital growth requirements in key markets, we are positioning Nxtra Africa as the go-to partner for cloud and AI hosting,” explained Issur.
He added: “Beyond capacity, our focus is on sustainability and resilience, enabling customers to fully leverage next-generation technologies in a secure environment.”
The project will be developed in two phases of 22MW each, reaching full capacity by early 2027.
Construction is expected to create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs, followed by permanent technical and operational roles when it becomes fully operational.
Nxtra also plans to work closely with local suppliers and contractors, pumping millions into the Kenyan economy and supporting the growth of the technology ecosystem.
According to Airtel Kenya Managing Director Ashish Malhotra, the Nxtra facility located inside Tatu City will be more than just infrastructure.
“This facility reinforces Kenya’s leadership in Africa’s digital revolution by improving data sovereignty, security, and efficiency,” stated Malhotra.
He added: “Once operational, it will attract global tech players, create jobs, lower the cost of digital services, and strengthen Kenya’s role as a regional hub for technology and innovation.”
With this groundbreaking, Airtel has underlined its pledge to East Africa’s digital growth, signalling more investment in infrastructure to serve businesses, governments, and individuals in the years to come.
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