Schneider Electric drives Nigeria’s energy demands with data centres

Nigeria’s digital economy experiences rapid growth and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption gains momentum across key industries, the pressure to modernise data infrastructure is mounting. Schneider Electric, a global player in energy management and automation, is responding with an innovative solution: prefabricated data centres designed to support AI-driven workloads at the edge with speed, efficiency, and scalability.

From banking and telecommunications to e-commerce and manufacturing, Nigerian businesses are increasingly integrating AI for automation, analytics, and improved customer experiences.

However, the country’s traditional data centres are struggling to keep pace with the exploding demand for compute power, storage, and low-latency processing. Schneider Electric’s prefabricated modular data centres are emerging as a powerful alternative, offering a sustainable, cost-effective path to support Nigeria’s AI transformation.

“The demand for AI-ready infrastructure in Nigeria is growing rapidly, and businesses require solutions that are fast, flexible, and energy-efficient,” said Ajibola Akindele, Country President for Schneider Electric Anglophone West Africa. “Prefabricated data centers provide a future-ready solution that enables enterprises to deploy AI and edge computing at scale, ensuring long-term growth and sustainability.”

AI Adoption Drives Urgent Infrastructure Needs

As AI applications like fraud detection, personalised shopping recommendations, and predictive industrial maintenance become mainstream in Nigeria, the need for high-performance data processing is surging. Smart city solutions, including real-time traffic management, also require robust, decentralised computing power to function effectively.

According to industry projections, the power footprint of edge computing devices is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 40 percent, reaching 40 gigawatts by 2028. This signals a pressing need for data infrastructure that is not only powerful but also adaptable to evolving demands.

Prefabricated Data Centers: A Smart Alternative

Prefabricated data centers are modular facilities built offsite and deployed quickly in target locations. For Nigerian enterprises, these centers solve several long-standing issues, ranging from power instability and high operational costs to limited urban space.

Key benefits of Schneider Electric’s prefabricated solutions include:

Rapid Deployment: These centers can be up and running within months, dramatically reducing deployment time compared to conventional data centers, which may take up to two years.

Scalability: The modular design enables businesses to expand their IT infrastructure in response to increasing AI and cloud computing demands without disruptive upgrades.

Energy Efficiency: With advanced cooling technologies and design efficiencies, these data centres achieve a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of less than 1.5, reducing energy consumption and operational expenses.

Sustainability: The modular construction approach minimises waste and supports ESG goals by promoting a circular economy.

Urban Space Optimisation: In cities like Lagos and Abuja, where commercial real estate is at a premium, compact prefabricated facilities make high-performance computing accessible without large land footprints.

Empowering AI and Edge Computing

Edge computing—which involves processing data close to its source—is a vital enabler of AI, reducing latency and increasing the speed of decision-making in mission-critical applications. Prefabricated data centres are strategically positioned to support this paradigm shift.

In sectors like fintech and healthcare, real-time AI applications such as fraud detection, automated customer service, and diagnostic analytics require powerful, localised computing. Schneider Electric’s solutions deliver the low-latency performance and reliability these use cases demand.

Additionally, high-density AI workloads—like deep learning and industrial automation—require customised power and cooling configurations. Prefabricated data centres are designed to meet these needs with minimal infrastructure overhead, allowing Nigerian companies to deploy high-performance AI solutions at scale.

A Digital Future Built on Modular Innovation

As Nigeria deepens its commitment to digital transformation, the convergence of AI, edge computing, and prefabricated infrastructure is poised to redefine the country’s IT landscape. By leveraging Schneider Electric’s prefabricated data centres, Nigerian enterprises can enhance efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and remain competitive in a data-driven global economy.