New data centre opens its doors in Johannesburg

Information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and services company NTT, represented in South Africa by ICT company Dimension Data, has officially opened a new data centre in Johannesburg.

The Johannesburg 1 Data Centre forms part of NTT’s expansion into Africa, with a nameplate capacity of 12 MW covering 6 000 m² of space once fully built out. At launch, only 6 MW is available, with the remaining 6 MW currently being built out, with long-lead items already having been ordered.

The Johannesburg 1 Data Centre’s technical infrastructure is supported by N+1 uninterruptible power supply systems, N+1 generator backup and highly redundant cooling systems. The aim is to provide clients with dedicated sustainable infrastructure, operational control and the design flexibility required to support high-performance requirements.

The facility will cater to hyperscalers and enterprises, providing them with an opportunity to use NTT’s range of ICT services, including managed hybrid cloud, network management, collaboration, security and application monitoring.

NTT Global Data Centers Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) head Michael Abendanon explained at the launch of the facility on October 26 that Africa was experiencing a digital boom, with the population expected to double by 2050.

He noted that estimates showed that 615-million users in sub-Saharan Africa would subscribe to mobile services by 2025, a 24% increase from 2020.

This growth and reliance on technology was fuelling digital transformation initiatives and demand for high-performing data centre space, he said, explaining that NTT was planning to accelerate its data centre footprint in Johannesburg and other African cities to support this growth over the next several years.

The new facility uses a closed-loop chilled water system with air-cooled chillers, meaning that the water running through the cooling systems is not evaporated. This reduces the threat of potential water restrictions during times of drought and allows the data centre to achieve improved power and water efficiency.

“South Africa forms a significant part of NTT’s growth strategy as we continue to support Africa’s digital transformation. The opening of Johannesburg 1 will contribute towards the economic growth and social development of the region, as our clients shape the country of tomorrow,” NTT Global Data Centers EMEA CEO Florian Winkler said.

“Our presence in Africa is underpinned by the significant digital change we’re seeing across the continent. Companies providing new digital services need data centre space with high power density, global connectivity, carrier neutrality, cloud network access, and on-site support to ensure they can continue to grow,” added Abendanon.

NTT has recently opened data centres in Madrid, in Spain; Jakarta, in Indonesia; Navi Mumbai, in India; and Berlin, in Germany. Further expansions are also planned in Ho Chi Minh City, in Vietnam; Prince William County in Virginia, in the US; and Cyberjaya, in Malaysia.

NTT is focused on enabling its portfolio to be powered by renewable energy by 2030 and to apply energy efficiency measures where required.