Business

Firm Unveils First Phase Of 100MW Data Centre

Published

2 months ago

May 19, 2026

Kasi Cloud has commissioned the first phase of its planned 100-megawatt AI-ready hyperscale data centre campus in Lekki, Lagos, marking one of Nigeria’s most ambitious investments yet in digital infrastructure and local compute capacity.

The company said the facility is designed to support artificial intelligence workloads, cloud computing, enterprise storage and high-density digital services at a time when global demand for AI infrastructure is accelerating rapidly.

The project, estimated to cost about $250m, broke ground in April 2022, while major construction work began in the second quarter of 2023. The commissioning marks the first operational deployment within the broader campus, which Kasi Cloud plans to scale over time into a 100MW data infrastructure ecosystem.

Nigeria currently has about 17 operational data centres, according to industry estimates, with most facilities operating below 25MW capacity. Kasi Cloud said the Lekki campus is intended to significantly expand the country’s compute footprint and reduce dependence on foreign-hosted infrastructure.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer Johnson Agogbua said the project is intended to help reverse Africa’s dependence on foreign digital infrastructure by creating local capacity capable of supporting the next generation of AI-driven applications.

“What we’re most proud of is the role that our people and our team have played,” Agogbua said during a media briefing at the facility in Lagos on Saturday. “Almost every other data centre built here was designed by others for us. Kasi is Nigeria proper. Africa proper.”

The company said the first deployment includes a 5.5-megawatt data hall and a 7.5-megawatt ecosystem floor designed to accommodate local and international businesses requiring colocation, cloud hosting, storage and networking services.

According to Agogbua, the ecosystem floor is intended to allow customers to lease infrastructure ranging from a single server node to an entire aisle of racks, depending on operational requirements.

“It’s an opportunity for our international partners, local partners and local businesses to take up anything between a single node and a rack to a full aisle of IT workloads,” he said.

Global Director, Marketing and Sales Operations at Kasi Cloud, Ngozika Agogbua, said the project sits at the intersection of technology, economics and geopolitics at a time Africa is increasingly seeking greater control over its digital future.

“Africa has become one of the fastest-growing digital markets in the world,” she said during a press conference in Lagos on Saturday. Yet when it comes to artificial intelligence, the continent still operates with less than one per cent of global compute capacity, relying almost entirely on infrastructure located outside its borders.”

According to her, the dependence on overseas infrastructure means African businesses continue exporting critical data and economic value whenever they run AI workloads.

“Every time an African business runs an AI workload, the data travels to a server in Europe or America,” she said. “The economic and strategic cost of that dependency is enormous and largely invisible.”

Agogbua described the Lagos campus as part of what could become a structural shift in Africa’s digital economy, comparing the moment to the expansion of subsea cable systems and mobile telecommunications networks that transformed connectivity across the continent over the past two decades.

“We believe this is less a company launch and more a structural turning point,” she said.

The company argued that large-scale local compute infrastructure is becoming increasingly important as governments, financial institutions, startups and enterprises across Africa accelerate adoption of AI-enabled systems and cloud-based services.

The company said the facility is also being designed to support certain GPU-intensive workloads required for AI computing while providing a carrier-neutral interconnection hub linking telecommunications operators and international submarine cable providers.

Agogbua said the upper floors of the campus are specifically designed for wholesale and hyperscale cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services, Google and Microsoft seeking expansion capacity in West Africa.

“Players like AWS, Google and Microsoft find it difficult to enter new markets and build at scale,” he said. “We have both the power and the space they need to expand.”

The company disclosed that the campus has a dedicated 132-kilovolt substation capable of scaling deployments to approximately 100 megawatts of IT load, positioning it among the largest planned AI-ready compute facilities in the region.

Agogbua repeatedly emphasised the distinction between total power infrastructure and “critical load”, the electricity directly delivered to computing systems, storage infrastructure and networking equipment.

“When we say critical load, we mean the things that go to computers, routers and storage devices,” he said.

According to him, each floor of the facility is capable of supporting approximately eight megawatts of critical load, while a single building on the campus could ultimately scale to more than 30 megawatts.

“That’s bigger than power delivered to some small cities in Nigeria,” he said.

He argued that Nigeria’s ability to compete in the digital economy will increasingly depend on whether the country can develop infrastructure capable of supporting AI systems locally.

“If we’re going to really embrace digital and employ AI-related systems to leapfrog into modernity, we need facilities of this scale,” he said.

Agogbua said Nigeria missed earlier phases of industrialisation but could still leapfrog economically through rapid adoption of modern digital infrastructure and AI technologies.

“We can digitise early, apply modern tech and leapfrog into it,” he said. “It requires facilities of this scale. It requires deployment of this scale.”

He also urged policymakers to create conditions that encourage international technology companies to establish local operations while ensuring Nigerian talent participates directly in the ecosystem.

“Make it easy for them to enter,” he said. “But require them to have us working on it. That’s how we get training.”

A major theme throughout the briefing was data sovereignty and concerns that Africa risks remaining dependent on foreign-owned AI systems if local compute infrastructure is not developed.

Agogbua argued that African languages, culture, commerce and historical records may become under-represented in future AI models if the continent does not build domestic infrastructure and local AI ecosystems.

“Will the brain that will run the future be on our soil?” he asked. “Or are we going to be renting it?”

He said AI systems shaping future digital experiences should increasingly be developed and operated within African cities rather than entirely from technology hubs in North America, Europe or Asia.

“If those coding the model reside in San Francisco, Munich or Shanghai and documenting our language and culture, we’ll be lost,” he said. “They should be in Yaba, Abuja, Enugu, Kano, and all of our cities.”

The company also emphasised local engineering participation in the project, describing Kasi as an African-led infrastructure initiative rather than a foreign-built deployment.

Agogbua said the company established an internal training initiative known as Kasi Academy to develop local engineering talent capable of supporting advanced digital infrastructure projects.

“When people asked how we would replicate world-class execution, we said we would grow them,” he said.

According to him, many of the engineers working on the project were trained internally through the academy, with Nigerian teams directly involved in designing and deploying key systems across the facility.

“The final design, the final rendering, is done here,” he said.

While acknowledging that some equipment and specialised manufacturing capabilities still need to be sourced internationally, he maintained that Africa already possesses the technical talent needed to build sophisticated infrastructure locally.

Beyond enterprise cloud infrastructure, Agogbua linked AI deployment to broader economic transformation across Nigeria’s informal economy, including retail markets, healthcare delivery, logistics and inventory management.

Business

Top 10 Richest Yoruba Billionaires: South West Wealthiest Entrepreneurs, Key Factors Behind Their Wealth

Published

4 hours ago

July 26, 2026

The Daily Voice

The Yoruba ethnic group, predominantly located in Nigeria’s southwestern region, has long been home to some of the wealthiest and most influential entrepreneurs in Africa.

Over the years, these Yoruba billionaires have made significant impacts across various sectors, including oil and gas, banking, telecommunications, real estate, and entertainment. Their business acumen and achievements have not only helped shape Nigeria’s economy but have also garnered international recognition.

Here’s a look at the top 10 richest Yoruba billionaires and the key factors behind their wealth:

10. Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa
Sulaiman Adegunwa is a billionaire philanthropist and businessman from Ogun State. He is the founder of Rite Foods Limited, a company best known for producing popular food and beverage brands in Nigeria. His investments also extend to education, as he founded the Sulaimon College of Education in Ogun State.

9. Fola Adeola
Fola Adeola is best known as the founder of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), one of Nigeria’s largest and most respected financial institutions. He is also involved in several other ventures, including heading MainOne, a telecom company, and running the FATE Foundation, which supports entrepreneurship in Nigeria. His net worth is around $550 million.

8. Dele Fajemirokun
Dele Fajemirokun is one of the most respected Yoruba business figures, with investments spanning insurance, oil, and telecommunications. He is the chairman of AIICO Insurance and a key investor in Food Concepts, the parent company of Chicken Republic. His business acumen has earned him a net worth of $500 million.

7. Samuel Adedoyin
Samuel Adedoyin is a self-made billionaire who overcame humble beginnings to become one of the wealthiest Yoruba men in Nigeria. He is the founder of the Doyin Group, a conglomerate involved in manufacturing, agriculture, and real estate. Adedoyin’s journey from small business ventures to becoming a billionaire is truly inspirational, and his net worth is estimated at $540 million.

6. Oba Otudeko
Oba Otudeko, a respected business magnate and philanthropist, is the founder of Honeywell Group, a diversified industrial conglomerate with interests in food processing, oil and gas, and real estate. He also played a pivotal role in the Nigerian banking industry, previously serving as the chairman of First Bank of Nigeria. Otudeko’s net worth is around $550 million.

5. Tunde Folawiyo
As the managing director of Yinka Folawiyo Group, a conglomerate with interests in energy, agriculture, and real estate, Tunde Folawiyo carries on the legacy of his family’s business empire. His ventures in shipping and energy are particularly notable, and he also serves on the board of MTN Nigeria. His estimated net worth is around $650 million.

4. Deji Adeleke
Dr. Deji Adeleke is a prominent businessman and philanthropist, best known as the father of the famous Nigerian musician Davido. He is the founder of Pacific Holdings Limited, a company with interests in oil and gas, real estate, and logistics. Adeleke is also an investor in education, having established Adeleke University in Osun State. His net worth is estimated at over $700 million.

3. Jimoh Ibrahim
Jimoh Ibrahim is another leading Yoruba entrepreneur who has built his fortune through diversified business ventures. He is the CEO of Global Fleet Group, a conglomerate with interests in oil and gas, insurance, real estate, aviation, and publishing. A lawyer by training, Jimoh Ibrahim’s net worth stands at around $1.1 billion, largely due to his ability to navigate various industries successfully.

2. Femi Otedola
Femi Otedola is one of Nigeria’s most recognized billionaires, primarily due to his involvement in the oil and gas industry. He is the former chairman of Forte Oil, a major petroleum marketing company in Nigeria, and his business ventures have expanded into power generation, finance, and real estate. Otedola’s investments in key sectors like shipping and energy make him a major player in Nigeria’s economy. As of 2024, his net worth is estimated at $1.8 billion.

1. Mike Adenuga
While Mike Adenuga is a Yoruba billionaire, his reach extends beyond Nigeria to the rest of Africa. He is the founder of Globacom, one of Nigeria’s largest telecommunications companies, and he also has interests in oil exploration through his company Conoil. Adenuga’s strategic positioning in telecoms and oil has made him the second-richest man in Nigeria, with a net worth of over $6 billion.

SEE THEIR NET WORTH

Business

FG Unveils Employment Portal, Targets 26,961 Nigerians for New Jobs

Published

7 hours ago

July 26, 2026

The Daily Voice

The Federal Government has launched the online registration portal for Phase III of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI), with plans to train 26,961 unemployed Nigerians in 70 high-demand skills as part of efforts to tackle unemployment and boost entrepreneurship nationwide.

The programme, which will run across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is expected to commence in August 2026 after the registration process is completed.

Speaking during the launch, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Mohammed Dingyadi, said the initiative is designed to equip unemployed Nigerians with practical, market-driven skills that can lead to employment or self-reliance.

He explained that the government would adopt a ward-to-ward selection process to ensure that beneficiaries are drawn from communities across the country, promoting fairness and wider participation.

According to the minister, the programme aligns with the Federal Government’s broader agenda to reduce unemployment by expanding access to vocational training and enterprise development.

As part of the initiative, the government also announced plans to resettle 3,405 outstanding graduate trainees with starter packs and work tools after completing their training.

The support package is intended to help beneficiaries establish businesses or begin careers in their chosen trades, strengthening the government’s push for sustainable job creation.

Dingyadi acknowledged complaints from beneficiaries of the earlier phases regarding unpaid stipends and delayed resettlement support.

He attributed the setbacks to funding constraints and assured participants that the ministry was working with relevant authorities to secure the release of funds needed to settle all outstanding obligations.

“I wish to assure all affected beneficiaries that this Ministry is fully aware of the matter and is working with the relevant authorities to ensure the release of the necessary funds so that all outstanding obligations can be met without further delay,” he said.

Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Silas Agara, said the upgraded registration portal includes new security and verification features to improve transparency and efficiency.

Applicants will be required to verify their identities using their National Identification Number (NIN), while the system will automatically prevent multiple registrations and assign applicants to training centres closest to their locations.

Agara added that persons living with disabilities would be identified during registration and matched with skills programmes suited to their needs.

Business

UK Lists 10 Requirements Nigerians Need To Secure Work Visa

Published

1 day ago

July 25, 2026

The Daily Voice

The UK Home Office has set out detailed requirements that foreign nationals, including Nigerians, must satisfy before they can qualify for a Skilled Worker visa.

The requirements, published on the UK government’s official website, apply to overseas professionals seeking to work in eligible jobs with approved employers across the United Kingdom.

According to the Home Office, applicants must meet employment, salary, language and documentation requirements before a visa can be granted. Additional evidence may also be requested depending on an applicant’s circumstances.

1. Have a job offer from an approved employer: Applicants must first secure a job offer from a UK employer licensed by the Home Office to sponsor foreign workers.

The employer must issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), which contains details of the job being offered.

2. Work in an eligible occupation: The job must appear on the UK’s list of eligible occupations for the Skilled Worker visa. Applicants must know the correct occupation code assigned to their role before applying.

3. Meet the minimum salary requirement: Most applicants must earn at least £41,700 per year or the “going rate” for their occupation, whichever is higher.

Most applicants must earn at least £41,700 per year or the “going rate” for their occupation, whichever is higher. Lower salary thresholds may apply for some healthcare workers, graduates, younger applicants and certain PhD holders.

4. Prove English language ability: Applicants must show they can speak, read, write and understand English. This can be done through approved English language tests or recognised educational qualifications taught in English.

5. Hold a valid passport: Applicants must provide a valid passport or another accepted document proving their identity and nationality as part of the visa application.

6. Show proof of financial support: Most applicants must demonstrate they have at least £1,270 available to support themselves after arriving in the UK unless their employer confirms it will cover those costs.

7. Pay visa fees and healthcare surcharge: Applicants must pay the visa application fee, the Immigration Health Surcharge for each year of their stay, and meet any other required charges before their application can be processed.

Partners and children of Skilled Worker visa holders may apply as dependants. Supporting a partner requires showing at least £285 in available funds, £315 for one child, and £200 for each additional child

8. Submit supporting documents: Applicants must provide supporting documents, including their Certificate of Sponsorship reference number, salary details, occupation code and employer information. Depending on individual circumstances, additional documents may also be required.

9. Provide extra certificates where required: Some applicants may need to submit additional documents such as tuberculosis (TB) test results, criminal record certificates, Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificates or proof of overseas qualifications.

10. Apply within the required timeframe: Applicants must submit their Skilled Worker visa application within three months of receiving their Certificate of Sponsorship from their employer.

The Home Office also advises applicants to complete identity verification and provide all required documents before a decision can be made.

Additional documents may be requested

The UK government stressed that meeting the eligibility requirements does not automatically guarantee visa approval. Immigration officials may request further documents or information to verify an applicant’s eligibility before making a final decision.

For Nigerians and other foreign professionals hoping to work in the UK, understanding these 10 requirements can help them prepare a stronger Skilled Worker visa application.

Full breakdown of the rules can be downloaded here.