- AAAS Energy and ChillMine signed an MoU to build a renewable-powered data centre campus in Botswana, anchored by a 250MW solar PV project with battery storage.
- Nugi Group unveiled plans for a Tier IV data centre in Calabar, Nigeria, powered by hydro, solar, and natural gas, to decentralise the country’s tech infrastructure.
Botswana and Nigeria have entered the spotlight in the data centre sector, as developers announced new projects partly powered by renewable energy.
In Botswana, Netherlands-based AAAS Energy and U.S.-based ChillMine signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a data centre campus together. The facility will serve AI computing, hyperscalers, and other energy-intensive operations, meeting growing demand for scalable and cost-effective digital infrastructure in Southern Africa.
ChillMine, which designs and manages high-density computing centres, will lead operational design, while AAAS Energy will integrate the campus into an Energy Hub and Industrial Park near Palapye. The hub already includes a 250MW solar PV project with a 100MW/400MWh battery storage system under development, ensuring stable and reliable power.
Furthermore, AAAS Managing Director Maarten Mennes said the project will blend renewable energy with third-party natural gas developments in Botswana to create a strong value proposition for global technology firms expanding into Africa.
Meanwhile, in Nigeria, Nugi Group announced plans to build a Tier IV data centre in Calabar, Cross River State, marking a significant move to decentralise the country’s digital infrastructure away from Lagos and Abuja.
Nugi Group President and Solutions Architect Ugi Augustine said the company chose Cross River for its cost advantages and available resources. The project will draw power from a nearby waterfall for hydroelectric generation, a planned solar grid that stores months of energy, and natural gas conversion.
Both projects signal a push to position Africa as a competitive destination for global data infrastructure, with renewable energy integration emerging as a central strategy for reliability and sustainability.