‘AI Key To Optimising Infrastructure Surge For Nigeria Data Centres’

Schneider Electric has stated that  the ongoing advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is compelling Nigeria’s data centres operators to push boundaries and explore upgrades across various areas, including rack configuration, cooling solutions, software management, and power optimisation technologies.

It said in Nigeria’s growing data infrastructure market, large AI training models, systems that teach computers to recognise patterns from data, are driving a shift toward higher rack power densities. High-density racks allow for more servers in a smaller footprint.

Country president, Schneider Electric, Ajibola Akindele said, “As data centres across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa research, plan and implement change amid an evolving tech landscape, several options represent viable alternatives.

These include optimising data centre design and infrastructure to power efficiency, cooling, management systems, and beyond.”

Akindele said AI workloads require thoughtful space planning to accommodate advanced cooling systems and the increased infrastructure footprint, driving the need for more compact and efficient designs. This rising need is reshaping how space is utilised within data centres, with a heightened focus on optimising rack density and airflow to enhance overall performance.

Akindele added that higher-density workloads necessitate more robust power distribution systems. Data centres in Nigeria, where power infrastructure presents unique challenges, are seeking advanced UPS systems and scalable power solutions to ensure continuous, reliable energy delivery.

Analysts said that with over 154 million internet users in Nigeria and 5.45 billion globally, the rapid adoption of AI technology is driving power consumption to unprecedented levels, far beyond anything we’ve known. AI’s computing capacity is expected to double approximately every 100 days, driving a 26 per cent to 36 per cent annual rise in global energy consumption linked to AI in the years ahead.