Liquid Intelligent Technologies to build data center in Zambia

Zambians are set to have a new data center. This is after the country's government signed an agreement that Liquid Intelligent Technologies will build one in the country.

The agreement is part of an initiative to accelerate the country's digital transformation and provide reliable and affordable connectivity to all Zambians.

Furthermore, the data center is intended to respond to increasing data-hosting needs from local businesses.

The partnership will see Liquid Intelligent Technologies expanding its fiber networks to link more Zambian communities, including hospitals, schools, and clinics.

Moreover, Liquid will also collaborate with the government to provide private and public cloud computing services, and cyber security solutions that will support the digitization of government services, the company said in a statement.

"We recognize the significant efforts that the Zambian government is making to accelerate the country's digital transformation and share President Hakainde Hichilema's vision for the development of Zambia's digital economy," said Cassava Technologies President and Group CEO, Hardy Pemhiwa.

African data center boom

Liquid's investment in the country comes at a time when the continent is seeing an increase in data centers across many countries.

In February 2023, Open Access Data Centres (OADC) announced that the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC's) first open-access, carrier-neutral data center will go live in the second quarter of 2023.

That announcement came after Raxio Group started construction on its first Tier III carrier-neutral data center in the DRC in September 2022.

The DRC facility is part of the Raxio Group's larger portfolio of data centers on the continent, which includes Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Ivory Coast, Tanzania and Angola.

Liquid Intelligent Technologies will expand its fiber networks to link more communities across Zambia, including hospitals, schools, and clinics. (Source: Image by www.slon.pics on Freepik)

Meanwhile, Africa Data Centres teamed up with the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) in a deal that will see better connectivity and lower bandwidth costs for Nigerians, also in September 2022.

The company also announced a partnership with INX-ZA to offer remote peering in South Africa.

That announcement followed recent expansions in Johannesburg and Accra as Africa Data Centres ramps up its African expansion with more data center builds expected in Africa's largest cities including Abidjan, Lagos, Cairo and Casablanca.

In January 2023, the data center company broke ground on new facilities in Nairobi, Kenya and Cape Town, South Africa.

Bridging the digital divide

Liquid's intentions to build a data center in Zambia could provide reliable, affordable connectivity to Zambians as well as speed up digital transformation.

Statistics from Datareportal show that there were 4.3 million Internet users in Zambia at the start of 2023, and Internet penetration stood at just 21.2%.

Furthermore, the research company also recorded that Zambia was home to 2.7 million social media users in January 2023, equating to 13.3% of the total population. Over 16 million cellular mobile connections were active in Zambia in early 2023, equivalent to 80.6% of the total population.

*Top image source: Server rack photo created by DCStudio - www.freepik.com

— Matshepo Sehloho, Associate Editor, Connecting Africa