According to DCD, Digital Realty announced on October 31 that it will establish its first data center in Ghana, located in the capital city of Accra at Bank Street and Prof. Atta Mills High Street near the Achimota Forest Reserve. The 1,100 sqm (11,840 sq ft) ACR2 facility will deliver 1.7MW of installed IT capacity through colocation services, though the development timeline remains undisclosed. This expansion builds on Digital Realty’s existing African presence in Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, and South Africa, representing part of the company’s more than $2 billion investment across the continent. The company’s managing director for Ghana, Joseph Koranteng, emphasized that “enterprises no longer have to choose between compliance and performance,” while the company recently appointed former private equity fund manager Marcel Louw as regional lead for its Africa division. This strategic move positions Digital Realty in a market where Data Center Map lists only five data centers around Accra, competing with existing operators including Equinix, Onix, and PAIX.
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Strategic Positioning in West Africa’s Digital Economy
Digital Realty’s entry into Ghana represents a calculated bet on West Africa’s digital transformation, particularly given Ghana’s position as one of the region’s most stable economies with growing internet penetration rates exceeding 50%. The location near Achimota Forest Reserve suggests strategic consideration of both environmental factors and proximity to key business districts, potentially offering natural cooling advantages while remaining accessible to corporate clients. Ghana’s improving digital infrastructure development and regulatory framework make it an attractive hub for multinational corporations seeking regional headquarters, particularly as data localization trends gain momentum across African markets.
Technical Capacity Meets Market Gap
The 1.7MW capacity for an 1,100 sqm facility indicates a high-density design, likely targeting enterprise and hyperscale clients rather than retail colocation. This capacity positioning suggests Digital Realty anticipates serving financial institutions, telecommunications companies, and cloud service providers expanding into West Africa. With only five data centers currently serving the Accra area, the market represents significant untapped potential, particularly as Ghana’s digital economy grows through initiatives like the national digitalization program and increasing mobile money adoption. The facility’s design likely incorporates modular scalability to accommodate future expansion as demand increases.
Transforming Africa’s Data Center Landscape
Digital Realty’s $2 billion continental investment signals a fundamental shift in how global technology infrastructure providers view African markets. Rather than treating Africa as a monolithic entity, the company’s targeted expansion into specific countries reflects understanding of regional variations in digital maturity, regulatory environments, and economic stability. Ghana’s selection following established presence in Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, and South Africa creates a strategic network effect that can serve multinational clients seeking pan-African connectivity solutions. This approach contrasts with earlier market entrants who often pursued broader, less differentiated continental strategies.
The Compliance Advantage in Emerging Markets
Joseph Koranteng’s statement about enterprises not choosing “between compliance and performance” highlights a critical challenge in emerging markets where data sovereignty regulations are rapidly evolving. Ghana’s Data Protection Act and emerging data localization requirements create both challenges and opportunities for infrastructure providers. Digital Realty’s global compliance expertise positions it to help multinational corporations navigate Ghana’s regulatory landscape while maintaining performance standards that might otherwise require offshore data hosting. This compliance-performance balance becomes increasingly valuable as African nations develop more sophisticated data protection frameworks.
