IX Africa Data Centre is a major Internet Infrastructure in Nairobi the capital city of Kenya, by IX Africa, the largest and technologically advanced digital habitat for cloud, collocation, and connectivity in the East Africa region.
In what will be a big boost to the project, IX Africa Data Centre Limited and Rand Merchant Bank (“RMB”), which is a division of FirstRand Limited, are proud to announce the closing of a $225 million funding package that will be utilized in delivering the next phase of iXAfrica’s growth.
The funding is set to enable iXAfrica to meet the region’s growing digital demands by facilitating the construction of an additional 20 MW of IT power at the Nairobi data centre campus. Additionally, it will support the company’s expansion and build on the first phase of 2.25 MW already in service.
RMB developed a customised solution for iXAfrica. Therefore, this marked the beginning of a new relationship and underscoring RMB’s commitment to partnering with high-quality clients across Africa.
Nairobi is emerging as a top destination for Kenyan data centres, with Airtel also planning a data center in the city.
IX Africa Data Centre was developed in phases with Phase 1 occupying approximately 10,000.00sqm on 4.3 acres. In addition to offices, the development has white spaces that host the IT infrastructure such as servers, storage, network gear, racks, air-conditioning units, and a power distribution system.
Expansion Plans Unveiled
Also, in a phone call with The Kenyan Wall Street, CEO Snehar Shah confirmed that the company has identified the Tilisi Industrial Park in Limuru as a viable point for expansion in the region. In 2021, the company raised US$50 million equity funding from Helios Capital to launch its NBOX1 facility in Nairobi. Additionally, they would deploy Schneider Electric’s power and cooling systems to guarantee efficiency and resilience.
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Planned grey spaces will host the back-end infrastructure that consists of switch-gear, UPS, transformers, chillers, and generators.
Design
Noteworthy, the facility has been designed with due consideration for users with physical impairment and has also adopted green concepts for sustainability. Solar water heating, photovoltaic and smart lighting, rainwater harvesting and water conservation using low-flow sanitary fittings are some of the elements to this end.
Ultimately, the campus is planned to have 42.5MW of IT load in the coming years, developed on adjacent plots to the 183,000 square feet site.
IX Africa Data Centre Campus Project team
Client: IX Africa
Architects: Triad Architects Ltd
Project Manager: Turner and Townsend
Quantity Surveyors: Turner and Townsend
Civil and Structural Engineers: Metrix Integrated Consultancy
Mechanical and Electrical Engineers: Prisma Technics Ltd
Data Center Engineers: Future-Tech
NEMA consultants: Green by Choice
Main Contractor: Solitaire Construction Ltd
