Nigeria’s first dual-certified Tier IV data centre

Galaxy Backbone (GBB), a digital transformation company, has achieved Uptime Tier IV certification for a data centre in Nigeria, the first facility in the country to obtain such a certification

GBB was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in order to provide ICT facilities and services for government ministries departments, and agencies. It is responsible for building and operating the National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB), a fiber optic network that spans the country.

In delivering this new facility which will help meet growing network demands, GBB partnered with Huawei, adopting the company’s FusionDC1000B prefabricated modular data centre solution. This transforms the traditional sequential construction mode into one that features concurrent onsite construction and factory prefabrication, achieving fast delivery and on-demand deployment.

In support of Nigeria’s digital transformation

The data centre consists of 17 prefabricated containers and integrates multiple systems such as the smart module, modular UPS, lithium battery, data centre infrastructure management (DCIM), and iCooling. Through engineering productisation, prefabrication, and pre-commissioning, only simple hoisting and assembly are required onsite, significantly reducing onsite construction waste and achieving dust-free construction. It takes only one month to hoist 17 containers and complete equipment installation and testing. Additionally, the prefabricated containers have a service life of 50 years and can withstand magnitude 3 earthquakes and scale 12 winds. They meet IP55 dustproof and waterproof standards, providing building-like quality and experience.

With most of the existing data centres in Nigeria being Tier III, the introduction of the first Tier IV facility will represent a welcome boost to efforts to end the country’s digital divide.

In designing the data centre, GBB drew on the exterior and interior layout of the industry’s best facilities and pre-integrated the equipment and power distribution rooms. And for the first time, peripheral power supply and distribution equipment, air conditioner indoor and outdoor units, and maintenance and visitor’s passages are prefabricated into modules. As a result, the data centre achieves an industry-leading prefabrication rate and passes the Uptime Tier IV certification in both design and facilities.

“Achieving this Tier IV certification from Uptime Institute is a testament to our unwavering dedication to excellence in cloud, data centre, and business continuity services,” remarked Ibrahim Adeyanju, managing director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone. “This certification assures our clients that they can rely on us for the highest levels of service availability and security. We remain committed to driving innovation and delivering world-class services to support the digital transformation of Nigeria and beyond.”

Elsewhere in Africa's flourishing data centre market, the DRC has just welcomed its first Tier III carrier-neutral data centre and Schneider Electric has also indicated its readiness to  help meeting rising data centre demand.