Schneider Electric and IXAfrica Data Centres have launched East Africa’s first and largest hyper-cloud data centre. The new Tier 3+ facility, NBOX1, features Schneider Electric’s medium and low-voltage switchgear, ensuring reliable cloud services powered by Kenya’s renewable grid.
Now open and operational, NBOX1 is a carrier-neutral, AI-ready data centre, making it the region’s most advanced digital hub for cloud, colocation, and connectivity.
The data centre aims to attract hyperscale and internet customers by offering a customer experience comparable to North American and Western European facilities. Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure for Data Centres supports NBOX1, providing resilience, uptime, cost efficiency, enhanced security, and sustainability.
The Helios investment firm has backed the $50 million centre in Africa’s Digital Savannah, a burgeoning technology hub. The centre will serve over 300 million people and support an innovation ecosystem that includes a skilled workforce, cloud and content providers, and colocation and connectivity services.
“Kenya is a hyper cloud-ready region with advanced cloud adoption, diverse internet fibre connectivity, high availability, and low-carbon power sources,” said Snehar Shah, CEO of IXAfrica. “All of this in a stable regulatory and political climate, with an economy expected to grow by 5.2% in 2024.”
Ifeanyi Odoh, Schneider Electric’s country president for East Africa, emphasised that Schneider’s solutions support N+1 redundancy with four independent power trains, meeting IXAfrica’s objectives, including a 1.25 PUE design across the campus and a 99.999percent uptime guarantee.
Mouna Essa Egh, secure power vice president for Middle East & Africa at Schneider Electric, highlighted the company’s commitment to sustainable solutions for data centres. “We are proud to partner with organisations like IXAfrica to create environmentally conscious and innovative digital habitats.”
Shah also noted the strategic relationship with Schneider Electric, mentioning that the new Nairobi campus stands on land formerly part of Schneider’s complex. “Our switchgear and panel all come from Schneider Electric locally, underscoring our goal to ‘Keep it Africa.’”
NBOX1 stands as a testament to the growing technological landscape in East Africa, promising to drive innovation and growth in the region.
