Digital infrastructure company, Equinix Inc has announced today that it has completed its acquisition deal of West African data centre and connectivity solution provider, MainOne. The deal which was closed at $320 million serves as the beginning of Equinix’s long term strategy of expanding into the African continent.
Earlier in December 2021, Equinix had noted its intention to expand into the African continent, having it become Africa’s carrier-neutral digital infrastructure company. Also, the company hopes that with its current acquisition of MainOne, it will operate at a full range with transformative technologies and connectivity, especially to the Nigerian, Cote d’Ivoirian and Ghanian markets.
Furthermore, Equinix intends to provide both the domestic and international organisations access to global and regional markets with its product, Platform Equinix.
Founded in 1998 by Al Avery and Jay Adelson, the company is an infrastructure company that enables digital leaders, through its platform, to come together and interconnect the foundational infrastructure that powers their success.
Noting its choice for acquiring MainOne, the company said, “Equinix notes that MainOne’s stationing in Lagos enhances its chances of becoming one of the most exciting tech businesses to emerge from Africa and a key connectivity hub for the West Africa region”.
“In Nigeria, there are great opportunities to expand its digital service specifically because it has one of the largest populations and the biggest economy. Nigeria is also home to some of the most innovative digital ecosystems in fintech and content digital media”, the company also added.
Since its existence in the past 24 years, the company has experienced growth and plans to help businesses scale in their productivity, speed the launch of their digital services and multiply their values.
Globally, Platform Equinix comprises 240 data centres across 66 metros and 27 countries on 6 continents, providing data centre and interconnection services to 10,000+ companies including more than 50% of Fortune 500 companies.
Whereas, MainOne was founded in 2008 by Funke Opeke and has gathered numerous assets and has already laid a foundation in the African market. It has an extensive submarine network of 7,000 kilometres from Portugal to Lagos, Accra and the West African coast, with landing stations in Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
Following the acquisition, MainOne will operate under a new brand ‘MainOne, an Equinix company’ and Funke Opeke will continue to lead the new brand of MainOne.
