Africa Data Centres to become the first East African, EDGE® certified facility

Africa Data Centres, a division of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group, is pleased to announce the addition of 1MW of capacity to its Nairobi Data Centre facility. The construction began in mid-June and is expected to take 40 weeks to complete. It will be the region’s first EDGE® certified data center.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, developed the EDGE® certification system for green building in emerging markets. It is a quantifiable method for developers to optimize designs, resulting in a more marketable product and a better investment while also promoting sustainability. EDGE® certification also helps to keep certification localized, quick, and affordable, promoting more green construction by allowing developers to certify projects at a lower cost.

The announcement follows Africa Data Centres’ announcement in November last year that it would build two more data centers in the region for approximately $200 million. At the time, the company stated that it had begun construction on its second Data Centre, which could handle up to 20MW of IT load, and that it was securing land for a third facility.

All critical infrastructure and security systems will be managed and monitored around the clock

According to Dan Kwach, Managing Director, Africa Data Centres, “East Africa Region is one of the Africa Data Centres’ key markets as there is a skyrocketing- demand for data centres in the region. The demand for digital technologies has accelerated as businesses of every type and size in Africa move to quicken their digital transformation journeys. The immediate 1MW facility is a key part of this expansion as Kenya is a critical African market in terms of being at the vanguard of hyperscale Data Centre demand and digital transformation in East Africa”.

The new facility’s construction will contribute significantly to job creation. One of Africa Data Centres’ missions is to promote job creation, partner with local businesses to build facilities, strengthen the economy, and promote social growth in all of its operational regions.

The expansion is located within the East Africa Data Centre facility, which is already Tier III Certified. The Sameer site is located in the capital’s Sameer Business Park. This expansion adds 717 square meters of white space, which can accommodate approximately 230 racks.

Speaking of the build, Kwach says, “The cold aisle containment will be completed to maintain cooling efficiencies and dedicated fresh air systems will manage humidity control for the hall. In addition, all critical infrastructure and security systems will be managed and monitored around the clock. The facility will be ISO27001 and PCI DSS compliant to ensure top information security too”.

The new facility aims to pave the way for Africa Data Centres’ hyperscale customers to deploy low-latency technology solutions in the region. This is one of three East African expansion projects planned, and it represents a significant milestone for the organization, highlighting the tremendous growth opportunity it sees in Kenya and the continent as a whole.