MTN Nigeria’s Dabengwa Data Centre in Lagos earns Tier III Certification for Constructed Facility, boosting digital infrastructure and enterprise resilience

MTN Nigeria has announced that its Dabengwa Data Centre in Lagos has received the prestigious Tier III Certification for Constructed Facility from the Uptime Institute, marking a significant milestone in the telecom giant’s infrastructure development.

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The announcement was made on Thursday by MTN Nigeria CEO, Karl Toriola, who described the certification as a reflection of the company’s commitment to global standards in digital infrastructure.

“This certification is a testament to the hard work, strategic focus, and collaboration across our teams and partners,” said Toriola.

“It reflects our commitment to building top-tier infrastructure that supports Nigeria’s digital future.”

The Dabengwa Data Centre, opened in July 2025, is one of Nigeria’s largest prefabricated modular data centres, constructed using 96 prefabricated containers in its initial phase. The centre features:

1. AI-powered energy optimisation
2. Hybrid cloud infrastructure
3. High-availability systems for enterprise-grade reliability

The Tier III Certification from the Uptime Institute guarantees:

•  Multiple independent power and cooling paths
•  Ability to undergo routine maintenance without service disruption
• 99.982% availability, equating to less than 1.6 hours of downtime annually

The latest certification follows MTN’s earlier Tier III Certification for Design Documentation, making Dabengwa one of only four facilities in Nigeria to hold both Design and Constructed Facility certifications.

As the first of MTN Nigeria’s technical sites to attain this dual-tier status, the Dabengwa facility is a cornerstone in the company’s Ambition 2025 strategy, which places strong emphasis on:

• Resilient digital infrastructure
• Business continuity and enterprise enablement
• Support for Nigeria’s expanding digital economy

The new data centre is expected to significantly improve:

1. Reliability for enterprise customers
2. Cloud service delivery
3. Disaster recovery capabilities
4. Local data hosting infrastructure

Toriola reiterated MTN’s broader goals:

“We remain focused on expanding our digital capabilities, investing in future-ready infrastructure, and delivering solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

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Fast Facts: MTN Dabengwa Data Centre

• Location: Lagos, Nigeria
• Structure: Modular, 96 containers (Phase 1)
• Features: AI energy management, hybrid cloud
• Certifications: Tier III (Design & Constructed Facility)
• Uptime: 99.982%
• Purpose: Business continuity, enterprise resilience