Zimbabwean Internet Service Provider (ISP) Dandemutande is planning to build a USD 15 million data centre in the country. The company made the commitment under the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Partner2Connect programme, which was revealed on Tuesday, February 18, via a post on X.
The technical capabilities of the data center have not been specified, but it is confirmed that it will be Tier 3. This standard guarantees a redundant infrastructure with multiple paths for power supply and cooling, thus limiting theoretical downtime to just 1.6 hours per year. In addition, the data center will be carrier-neutral, meaning that different providers will be able to host their infrastructure there without restriction.
“The data centre will provide high-quality, reliable and scalable services in the SADC [Southern African Development Community] region , creating jobs and economic activity, while contributing to the local tax base. It will target underserved segments such as small businesses, content providers, financial institutions, government agencies and healthcare providers,” the ITU explains on its website.
Dandemutande has committed to completing the data centre by 1 June 2026. The facility is expected to boost the ISP’s capacity to “meet the growing demand for data services driven by digital transformation and economic growth”. The ITU estimates internet penetration in Zimbabwe, where the population was 16.3 million in 2023, at 32.6%, according to the World Bank. In this segment, the company faces competition from telecom operators (TelOne, Econet, NetOne and Telecel) and satellite internet service provider Starlink.
In addition to strengthening its telecom infrastructure, Dandemutande is positioning itself in the fast-growing data center market. According to data portal Statista, the data center market revenue in Southern Africa is expected to reach USD 1.42 billion in 2025. This figure is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.14% over the period 2025-2029 to reach USD 1.73 billion.
Source: extensia.tech
