MAKES ITS FIRST FOOTPRINT IN AFRICA
Digital infrastructure company, Equinix, Inc., has just announced the completion of its deal to acquire West African data center and connectivity solutions provider MainOne, following its agreement as announced last year.
Acquired at US$320 million, MainOne’s assets includes four operational data centers which delivers more than 64,000 gross square feet of space, supported by 570,000 square feet of additional land for future expansions. MainOne also boasts of having an extensive submarine network that spans 7,000 kilometers from Portugal to Lagos, Accra and along the West African coast, with landing stations in Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
Other MainOne’s assets include a terrestrial network of more than 1,200 kilometers of terrestrial fiber in Lagos, Edo and Ogun States. Connectivity to terrestrial sites extends across 65 points of presence (PoPs) in cities across Portugal, Nigeria, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
As announced, Funke Opeke, the founder of MainOne, will continue to lead under the new brand of “MainOne, an Equinix company”.
Few weeks ago, Equinix, announced another plan to acquire four data centers from Empresa Nacional De Telecomunicaciones S.A. (Entel), a Chilean telecommunications provider. Valued at US$705 million, this acquisition is expected to expand Equinix’s footprint into Chile and Peru. As disclosed, the transaction includes three data centers in Chile and may also include one data center in Peru pending finalization of a definitive agreement.
As part of its global expansion, Equinix also recently opened a new US$90 million data center located in Aschheim near Munich, Germany. Codenamed MU4, the new data center is expected to be powered by 100% renewable energy, purchased through a green power certificate from local supplier, Mainova.
In Paris, Equinix has announced the expansion of its data center portfolio with the development of a new US$163 million facility in Paris, France. Codenamed PA10, the new data center will be the tenth data center opened by Equinix in Paris over the course of 20 years.