Dr Krish: Pioneering Data Centres Across Africa

Dr. Krishnan Ranganath fondly called ‘Dr. Krish’ in Africa’s ICT space, has been influential in setting up data centres across Africa in the last two to three decades. He is also a serial investor, not only in data centres, but ICT sector across the continent.

“The history of the proliferation of data centre in Africa cannot be told without Dr. Krishnan Ranganath. From our own findings, he is a key figure in setting up and managing various networks & data centres across emerging economies with a proven record of monitoring the inflow & outflow of funds and ensuring optimum utilisation towards the accomplishment of the organisational goals,”, Co-Founder of Techcastle Foundation, Chike Onwuegbuchi had said.

Currently the Regional Executive, West Africa Region of Africa Data Centres (ADC) heading the West African Business Operations, his firm is Africa’s largest network of interconnected, carrier- and cloud-neutral data centre facilities, operating in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, and Lagos with an IT capacity of 30 MW, all facilities being Tier 3 certified, except for one Tier 4 facility in Johannesburg, even as it is expanding capacities to meet growing demands of the local market and hyperscalers alike. We are in the process of initiating projects in Accra and Casablanca, alongside expanding some of its existing facilities, he said.

Opportunities In Tech Space And  Data Centres

Dr Krish said, huge opportunities exist in the space that aspiring investors can catch on to, saying, the potentials was what attracted him into the Data space.

Saying there are two key aspects to a data centre that make them appealing to Fintech businesses, he noted that, “Firstly, security is paramount. This encompasses not only physical and cyber security, which are undeniably crucial, but also the security of service. Fintechs need assurance that their product will always be accessible, without any outages or service disruptions, which could potentially incur significant financial costs and damage to their reputation. Data centres must guarantee a robust infrastructure to ensure they can deliver a secure and dependable service to their partners.”

Hence, he said, Data centres aiming to partner with Fintech businesses must offer the highest standards of connectivity to ensure their clients’ products can operate seamlessly at high speeds.

Unlocking Profits  In Data Centres Business

The constant increase in cybercrime and cyber risks in recent times, he stressed, has further shown the relevance of data centres in data management space.

“As we’re aware, major data centres implement various processes and obtain necessary certifications such as ISO 27001 and PCI-DSS, adhering rigorously to procedures. Africa Data Centres (ADC) also holds these certifications. It’s important to note that we are a carrier and cloud-neutral data centre, meaning we solely provide physical infrastructure (power, space cooling) to our clients without access to their data or systems.

“However, with the advancement of technology and the increasing digitisation of processes, we manage our infrastructure with the best global technologies available,” he pointed out.

Data centres offering cloud solutions, he stressed, must exercise increased vigilance on these fronts as any misstep in security can lead to widespread repercussions across the industry, thus, it’s imperative for all players to uphold stringent measures.

Physical security, personnel security, network security, and power line security are critical considerations for any data centre, he noted.

ICT And GDP Growth In Nigeria

By 2027, he expects the data centres ecosystem in Nigeria to experience a remarkable 220% growth, reaching a valuation of $288.8 million, thus, contributing massively to the growth of digital economy and ultimately, the economy in general. This growth, he believes, captured the attention of global players seeking investments in Nigeria.

To him, the ICT sector made a significant contribution of 17.47% to Nigeria’s GDP in the first quarter of 2023, according to the latest statistics from the NBS and this amounts to approximately N3.1 trillion out of the total N17.75 trillion of the country’s real GDP for the quarter.

“It marks a notable increase from the first quarter of 2022, where the ICT sector contributed N2.86 trillion. This demonstrates a substantial rise from the 16.2 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year, indicating the growing importance of ICT-related activities to Nigeria’s economic development.

“Acknowledging Lagos as the Fintech hub in Africa doesn’t imply neglecting the oil and gas sector. Rather, it recognises the emergence of a parallel contributor to the economy. Nigeria has the capacity to thrive in multiple sectors simultaneously, and the growth of the ICT sector only adds to the country’s economic diversity and resilience,” he stressed.

Biography

Dr Krish is the Chief Technology Officer( CTO) of Africa Data Centres heading the West African Business Operations.

With more than two decades of experience in global industry working with various Multinationals across Emerging Markets in the ICT sector, Dr Krish started his career in 1992. He has managed complex multinational projects across growing economies and has seasoned relationships with various global players across industries.

He is a key stakeholder in setting up and managing various networks & data centres across emerging economies with a proven record of monitoring the inflow & outflow of funds and ensuring optimum utilisation towards the accomplishment of the organisational goals.

He is also involved in various activities in promoting and enabling local content in Africa and preparing long term ICT strategies and roadmaps for various emerging economies within Africa as well as in West Africa Telecom infrastructural development.

Dr Krish holds an MBA in International Marketing, PhD’s in International Marketing, Organisational Management and Strategy, Enterprise-wide risk management & BCP

He has also been instrumental in promoting young African entrepreneurs from his wealth of experience.