Raxio launches flagship data center in Ethiopia

Raxio Data Centres has announced the official launch of its newest facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Raxio already operates in Ethiopia, but this new Tier III certified facility offers secure colocation space for up to 800 racks delivering up to 3MW of IT power.

"The launch of our flagship facility in Addis Ababa represents a major milestone in our journey at Raxio, and for our country," said Bewket Taffere, general manager of Raxio Data Centre in Ethiopia.

"We anticipate that this facility will be a catalyst for increased economic development in Ethiopia, supporting local businesses and government agencies, as well as attracting regional and international service and content providers into Ethiopia," Taffere added.

Across Africa Raxio also operates in Uganda, with planned facilities in Mozambique, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Angola, and Tanzania.

Raxio's African expansion continues

Raxio Ethiopia is the first of several facilities Raxio plans to open in the next few months.

"After our launch in Uganda two years ago, Raxio Ethiopia is the first in a series of facilities we will be opening between now and the end of the first half 2024, with our facilities in Mozambique, Ivory Coast, and DRC next in line. With these facilities and more to follow later in 2024 and early 2025, we are continuing to execute on our promise of delivering world-class data centre infrastructure across underserved markets in Africa," said Raxio Group CEO Robert Mullins in a statement.

Raxio Group CEO Robert Mullins speaking at an event in Uganda in 2021. (Source: Raxio Group)

Last month Raxio announced it had secured an additional US$46 million in equity funding to support its expansion initiatives and also said that Mullins plans to step down in the second half of 2024.

Ethiopia's journey to digitization

Raxio said that as Ethiopia focuses more on digital inclusion, the new data center facility will contribute to extending the ICT infrastructure network, support local enterprises, and help improve access to educational, social and business resources.

As a carrier-neutral data center, Raxio Ethiopia will become one of Ethiopia's hubs of connectivity creating an ecosystem where local and international carriers will be able to interconnect and exchange traffic.

The facility is supported by diverse fiber routes which gives customers a choice of providers and safeguards them from connectivity cuts. Raxio said this will help reduce Internet costs for businesses and customers in the Horn of Africa nation.

The launch of Raxio's data center is in alignment with the Ministry of Innovation and Technology's Digital Ethiopia 2025 initiative which aims to extend ICT infrastructure to cover the entire country; increase job creation through ICT research and innovation; and enhance the country's cybersecurity capabilities.

Raxio has also committed to sustainability and the new data center has an energy-efficient design and promises "environmentally conscious practices."

"The facility is equipped with cutting-edge technologies that not only ensure maximum operational effectiveness but also deliver environmental efficiencies. Raxio's design and equipment choices are adapted to local environmental and climatic conditions, allowing Raxio's facility in Ethiopia to reach Power Usage Efficiency (PUE) ratios unrivalled on the African continent," the group stated.

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— Paula Gilbert, Editor, Connecting Africa