Gbenga Adegbiji, CEO of Geniserve, has called for resilient, AI-ready data centres to support Nigeria’s digital economy and attract global technology players.

Mr Adegbiji made the call at a media capacity-building training on Nigeria’s Digital Infrastructure Economy, held on Tuesday in Lagos.

The training was facilitated by the Media Training Room in collaboration with Africa Hyperscalers. He said data centres, supported by reliable connectivity, formed the backbone of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

“Without these foundations, applications in payments, social media and e-commerce cannot function seamlessly,” Mr Adegbiji said.

He noted that artificial intelligence workloads are increasing pressure on infrastructure, requiring data centres designed for high-density racks, adequate power supply and effective heat evacuation.

“Power availability, cooling and redundancy are critical for resilience, while operational excellence ensures uptime beyond standard tier-three or tier-four classifications,” he said.

Mr Adegbiji stressed the role of government, urging federal projects to connect all states through a mesh network to eliminate single points of failure.

He also noted the need to build local expertise to manage advanced data centres. Mr Adegbiji proposed mandatory internship quotas for private technology firms, warning that “infrastructure without skilled manpower cannot be sustained”.

Mr Adegbiji added that strong public-private collaboration was essential for digital sustainability, data sovereignty and attracting hyperscalers to Nigeria.

Speaking on connectivity, Adebola Adefarati, an official at Rack Centre, said Nigeria could maximise global connectivity by strategically sharing infrastructure.

He said a mix of fibre, wireless and satellite technologies was required to deliver reliable, high-quality internet access nationwide.

Mr Adefarati explained that middle- and last-mile bottlenecks, including right-of-way costs, regulations, theft, and duplication, continue to slow the rollout.

“The cost and complexity of deploying infrastructure in Nigeria require collaboration,” he said.

He noted that companies often self-fund networks, unlike other countries, where government investment drives connectivity expansion.

Mr Adefarati said infrastructure sharing among telecoms operators, data centres, and regulators would reduce duplication, lower costs, and improve efficiency.

He highlighted the benefits of a shared digital ecosystem, enabling local data hosting, faster services and reduced outsourcing.

“Having our data in Nigeria allows banks, SMEs and tech companies to operate more efficiently. Shared infrastructure is key to creating a sustainable, scalable and secure network across the country,” Mr Adefarati explained.

He also cited security concerns, bureaucratic delays, and high operational costs as major last-mile challenges that require strategic solutions.

(NAN)