By Stanley Onyeka, Lagos
Nigeria’s digital infrastructure is set for a major boost as leading global energy and infrastructure conglomerate, Sahara Group and the Federal Government of Nigeria explore the establishment of a National Data Park and Compute Infrastructure at Egbin Power, Africa’s largest privately-run thermal power plant.
Sahara Group’s collaboration with the Federal Government, according to the company’s statement, will be driven by the Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani.
The project aims to harness data sovereignty and cybersecurity for accelerated economic growth in Nigeria.
Speaking during a meeting at Sahara Group’s Isle Centrum office in Lagos, Mr. Tijani was quoted as saying that the proposed National Data Park at Egbin Power aligns with the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS), which was launched in 2024.
He said the Data Park would ultimately become the “enabler of Nigeria’s digital transformation and facilitate sustainable value extraction from Nigeria’s digital economy.”
He also noted that nations like Ireland and Singapore where similar initiatives have been implemented continue to boost their economies through the influx of foreign tech companies.
Mr. Tijani said: “The Data Park will play a critical role in accelerating the nation’s quest for achieving credible centralised data, drive seamless coordination of computational resources and accelerate the development and deployment of AI solutions across various sectors.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director, Sahara Group, Kola Adesina, said the collaboration presents a “huge opportunity” to effectively “safeguard, redefine, transform and maximise value from Nigeria’s digital economy.”
He continued: “Sahara Group has always been at the forefront of transformative projects. We have been working on establishing the Egbin Industrial Park as a vehicle for promoting sustainable development in Nigeria.
“We are confident that the planned collaboration with the Federal Government will propel Nigeria’s digital future to new heights.
“This will certainly be a landmark example of how collaboration can be leveraged to deliver world-class solutions that will impact all sectors of the economy positively,” he said.
The Data Park will play a critical role in accelerating the nation’s quest for achieving credible centralised data, drive seamless coordination of computational resources and accelerate the development and deployment of AI solutions across various sectors.
Mr. Adesina said the Egbin Industrial Park would support the nation’s digital ambitions to create ecosystems that will improve governance, business, create tens of thousands of jobs, and enhance the quality of life for Nigerians.
“Ultimately, data sovereignty and security achieved from the project will reduce dependency on foreign cloud platforms, ensuring seamless access to faster and more secure services,” he added.
Egbin Power, a Sahara Power Group affiliate, is the largest power generating station in Nigeria with an installed capacity of 1,320 MW.
The plant would guarantee uninterrupted power supply, which is critical for the success of the Data Park. Egbin’s access to deep-sea internet cables and over 500 hectares of available land further strengthens its position as a premier digital infrastructure hub.
At full scale operations, the proposed National Data Park and Compute Infrastructure is expected to enhance research, boost economic growth and job creation, improve government services in Healthcare, Agriculture and Small Business Support, and produce tens of thousands of jobs in technology, and related fields.
