Airtel Breaks Ground on East Africa's Largest Data Center in Tatu City

On September 11, 2025, Airtel officially began the construction of its 44 MW sustainable data center located within the Tatu City Special Economic Zone in Kenya. This groundbreaking event marks a significant step in transforming Tatu City into a premier hub for data centers in East Africa, leveraging its unique infrastructure and renewable energy resources.

A Vision for Sustainable Data Infrastructure

The Nxtra by Airtel data center is designed to provide cutting-edge IT power support, featuring next-generation servers, high-density GPU-enabled racks, and a remarkable uptime of 99.999%. With multiple redundant fiber routes and state-of-the-art security systems, the facility aims to meet the growing demand for digital services across the region.

Tatu City has heavily invested in infrastructure development, including a 135 MVA substation with a 99.7% uptime and a first-of-its-kind 24/7 industrial water supply. The city's advanced rainwater management systems, 70 kilometers of international-standard roads, and over 120 kilometers of secure underground fiber-optic cables add to its appeal as a data center location.

According to Stephen Jennings, the founder and CEO of Rendeavour, the development company behind Tatu City, significant investment over the past decade has established the area as the natural choice for data centers in East Africa. The decision by Airtel to position Nxtra in Tatu City reinforces this vision, promising further growth in the data infrastructure sector.

The Impact of Nxtra on the Digital Ecosystem

Yashnath Issur, CEO of Airtel Africa's Data Center division, emphasized that constructing East Africa's largest data center lays the foundation for a thriving digital ecosystem. This development is set to empower businesses, support governments, and expand opportunities for communities throughout the region. Nxtra by Airtel will be built to the highest global standards, ensuring reliability, scalability, and energy efficiency while focusing on sustainability and resilience.

Tatu City boasts an impressive statistic: over 95% of the energy supplied to Nxtra will be renewable, with one-third generated directly from solar power. This positions Tatu City as one of the most sustainable data center locations on the international stage, with access to Kenya's predominantly renewable energy national grid.

Currently, Tatu City is home to more than 25,000 residents who live, work, and study in the area. It features 4,500 completed housing units and accommodates around 6,000 students. With investments exceeding 400 billion KES, notable companies such as Emirates Logistics, Heineken, and Naivas have already set up operations in Tatu City, contributing to its dynamic business landscape.

Economic Incentives for Companies

Companies operating within the Tatu City Special Economic Zone enjoy substantial benefits, including a corporate tax rate of just 10% for the first ten years, followed by 15% for the next decade—a stark contrast to the normal rate of 30%. Additional incentives include VAT exemptions on goods and services, as well as waivers on import duties and stamp fees.

Overview of Tatu City

Tatu City represents a groundbreaking development, spanning 5,000 acres just outside Nairobi. It is equipped with housing, schools, shopping areas, medical clinics, green spaces, and recreational facilities, catering to over 250,000 residents and thousands of daily visitors. Tatu City stands as Kenya's first functional special economic zone designed for flourishing businesses, located only 30 minutes from Nairobi, thus providing a stress-free living, working, and recreational environment.

For more information, visit City or Rendeavour.