Khazna Data Centres (Khazna), the largest network of hyper-scale data centres in the Middle East and North Africa region, has announced its plan to enter the Egypt market with Benya Group, a leading integrated solution, Digital Transformation and ICT infrastructure provider in Egypt and the MEA region.
The new US$250 million state-of-the-art data centre will be Egypt’s first hyper-scale data centre and will be built at the Maadi Technology Park, Egypt’s first specialised investment zone.
With an expected capacity of 25 MW of IT load, the data centre will unlock opportunities for businesses in Egypt aiming to expand internationally and targeting multinational corporations who are pursuing growth and innovation in the Middle East and North African markets.
Egypt has recently undertaken a series of investments, digital government services reforms and infrastructure upgrades to enhance the contribution of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector to the country’s economic growth.
The inauguration of this data centre will further address the need for a future-ready digital infrastructure in Egypt where data demands have risen significantly in recent years. This will also support Khazna’s growth strategy into international markets, reinforcing its commitment to expand operations beyond the UAE.
Following the term sheet agreement between Khazna Data Centres and Benya Group to establish a joint venture to build Egypt’s first hyper-scale data centre, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Eng. Ahmed Mekky, Chairman and CEO of Benya Group; Hassan Al Naqbi, the CEO of Khazna Data Centres; and Eng. Amr Aboualam, Chairman of Maadi Technology Park to secure land at Maadi Technology Park for the new data centre.
The signing ceremony was attended by Hossam Heiba, President, General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) and Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Egypt HE Mariam Khalifa Juma Mohammed Alkaabi, who have previously discussed opportunities to attract Emirati investments to the Egyptian ICT sector and enhance co-operation between Egypt and the UAE in ICT fields.
“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Khazna, which will enable us to enter the hyper-scale data centre construction sector with full force. This MoU we signed represents a significant step towards strengthening our role in establishing this type of data centre in Egypt, with the support of our partner, Khazna Data Centres, which has an excellent reputation and outstanding expertise in this sector,” said Ahmed Mekky, Chairman and CEO of Benya Group.
“The new hyper-scale data centre will not only meet the needs of the Egyptian market but also, through its extensive capabilities, serve African and Middle Eastern countries. It will contribute to attracting more investments for business sectors involving intensive operations, supporting cloud computing and content system operators.
“In addition, it will encourage major commercial companies to join these giant digital clusters that rely on the latest cloud computing applications, digital technology and Big Data. This MoU is also in line with the group’s policy to enhance Egypt’s digital infrastructure and support the government’s plans to increase foreign investments, as well as support the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology’s policy for Digital Transformation.”
