By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Kenya has strengthened its
digital infrastructure with the opening of iColo’s new Nairobi Two (NBO2) data
centre, a 6.5MW AI-ready facility expected to support the country’s growing
demand for computing, connectivity and data infrastructure.
The facility was officially
opened in Nairobi in an event attended by Kenya’s Principal Secretaries for ICT
and Digital Economy John Tanui and Stephen Isaboke, U.S. Assistant Secretary of
State for African Affairs Frank Garcia and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Susan M.
Burns, among other stakeholders.
Kenya’s Special Envoy on
Technology, Ambassador Philip Thigo, said the new facility represents an
important addition to the country’s digital infrastructure and a further signal
of confidence in the growth of Kenya’s digital economy.
He said the rapid adoption
of artificial intelligence is increasing the need for resilient connectivity,
computing capacity and data infrastructure, which will play an increasingly
important role in the country’s ability to innovate, attract investment and
create value locally.
The NBO2 facility is
designed to provide infrastructure capable of supporting AI workloads and other
growing demands for high-performance computing and data services.
Thigo said investments of
this nature would also reinforce Kenya’s position as a regional digital hub by
demonstrating the country’s capacity to host data centres and develop the
infrastructure required for the next phase of its digital and AI economy.
He congratulated iColo,
Digital Realty and the wider team behind the project, describing the investment
as a significant milestone for Kenya’s technology ecosystem.
The opening comes as Kenya
seeks to expand its digital infrastructure to support increasing demand for
artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other data-intensive technologies.
The investment is expected
to contribute to the country’s wider digital transformation by strengthening
the physical infrastructure needed to support innovation, investment and the
development of digital services.
