Equinix, the global data center giant and owner of MainOne, has committed $140 million to expand digital infrastructure in southern Nigeria over the next two years. This includes building a new data center in Port Harcourt and expanding its third Lagos facility, LG3.
The Port Harcourt center, Equinix PR1, is especially notable. It will serve as Nigeria’s first landing station for Meta’s 2Africa submarine cable, significantly boosting internet capacity in the region. For years, Lagos has held a near-monopoly on such infrastructure, housing 70% of subsea cable landings and data centers. This expansion signals a push toward more equitable digital development across Nigeria.
Wole Abu, Managing Director of Equinix West Africa, said, “We’re routing traffic over multiple cables in West Africa on an active/active basis. The next time a cable fails, our goal is for customers not to notice.” This highlights Equinix’s plan to improve redundancy and resilience across Nigeria’s network.
Since acquiring MainOne for $320 million in 2022, Equinix has positioned itself as a key player in West Africa’s digital transformation. With over 260 data centers worldwide, the company brings a wealth of experience and global connectivity to the region.
Despite improvements in global connectivity, Nigeria still struggles with limited middle-mile infrastructure—connecting coastal hubs to inland users. With broadband penetration at just 45% as of January 2025, there’s a long way to go. The National Broadband Plan targets 70% penetration by 2025, but reaching this goal will require private-public partnerships.
The Ministry of Communications has launched a Broadband Alliance to build a nationwide fiber backbone. Equinix’s investment could be a major boost in closing this infrastructure gap.
