(Ecofin Agency) - Investments in data centres contribute to GDP growth, job creation, and digital sovereignty. It helps close the infrastructure gap, meets cloud demand, supports environmental sustainability, and strengthens Africa’s position in the global digital value chain.

Teraco, a South African data centre operator, announced on June 3 the completion of its eighth data centre development, JB5, located at its growing Isando campus in South Africa.

With the launch of JB5, the Isando campus now boasts a total critical power capacity of 70 megawatts (MW), reinforcing Teraco’s position as a regional hub for digital infrastructure and cloud services. The new facility is purpose-built to meet the demanding requirements of global hyperscalers, cloud providers, and enterprise clients. “JB5 underscores our commitment to sustainability and operational excellence,” said Teraco.

Spanning a 55,000 square metre footprint, JB5 was constructed in a single phase and includes twelve 1,000 square metre data halls. A key innovation is its sustainable cooling system: a closed-loop chilled water design that relies entirely on free air cooling, achieving zero water usage during ongoing operations.

The data centre is powered by a robust 120MVA utility power supply, ensuring uninterrupted service and enabling high-availability environments for critical digital operations. Teraco’s expanded capacity is expected to support the region’s rapid growth in cloud adoption, digital services, and AI workloads.

The announcement follows Teraco's earlier move in November 2024 to begin construction of a new 40MW hyperscale data centre at the same Isando campus, reinforcing the company’s long-term strategy to position South Africa as a leading data hub on the African continent.

This development comes amid a surge in demand for digital infrastructure across the continent. According to the Data Center Market in Africa - Industry Outlook and Forecast 2020–2025 report, African data center revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 12% through 2025. This growth is being driven by increasing cloud adoption, fintech expansion, content streaming, and demand for data sovereignty.

With JB5, Teraco continues to solidify its role in shaping Africa’s digital economy and attracting global technology partners to the continent.

Hikmatu Bilali