On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Kenya that is meant to secure a partnership in the building of a data centre in the country.
The Ksh 2.86 billion ($20 million) data centre is expected to be fully powered by geothermal power, making it the first of its kind in Africa.
Signing of the MOU was witnessed by the President, William Ruto, the UAE Ambassador to Kenya, Salim Ibrahim Binahmed Mohamed Alnaqbi as well as officials from both companies at State House Nairobi.
Reports indicate the MOU is between Kenya’s EcoCloud and UAE’s G42 which are expected to facilitate the construction of the data centre in Naivasha.
“By harnessing geothermal energy, we are not only meeting the region’s data needs but also setting a new standard for eco-friendly infrastructure,” stated Amos Siwoi, CEO of EcoCloud.
More details about the data centre show that it is expected to be situated in KenGen’s Energy Park within the 342-hectare space which is set to host industrial and non-industrial activities.
Further, the data centre is expected to propel Kenya’s digital economy by being a go-between for the East Africa data market and the rest of the world.
“This geothermal-powered data centre is a milestone towards realising Kenya’s potential as a global digital hub and fulfilling our mission of making intelligence accessible to everyone, everywhere,” explained Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G24.
The Ecocloud Data Centre was launched in September 2023, in Olkaria where Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi led the function.
Additionally, the project was dubbed Project Eagle named after the migration of eagles from Europe to East Africa, and is the first investment within the KenGen industrial park.
Initially, the project will utilise 1,000 Megawatts of power which will be later upscaled at a later date.
This is one of the ambitious projects that the government is aiming to implement in its bid to reduce over-reliance on hydro-energy.
By 2027, the government aims to finish construction of the first ever Nuclear Power Plant through the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA).
