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Ethiopia is fast becoming a global hub for data-intensive technologies like bitcoin mining, data mining, and data centers.
Ethiopia is particularly attractive to miners of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The country''s power grid is almost entirely sourced from clean, renewable energy, and its electricity rates are among the lowest in the world. Moreover, Ethiopia plans to more than double its power generation capacity in the next decade.
The Government of Ethiopia (GOE) has been welcoming to foreign bitcoin mining companies. More than 20 firms have been granted operating licenses to date, and several dozen more are working through the registration process. There are three main GOE bodies that U.S. companies interested in cryptocurrency mining must work alongside. These are the Information Network Security Administration (INSA), an agency responsible for protecting the national interest of the country through controlling anything in the information technology area; Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), an agency responsible for all generation, transmission, and bulk power sales; and the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), which provides licenses for investment activities.
Prior to starting operations, cryptocurrency mining companies must get permission from INSA for the importation of specialized computer hardware, sign a power purchase agreement with EEP, and acquire an investment license from EIC.
Beyond cryptocurrency and data mining, Ethiopia is also an attractive market for data centers. Ethiopia''s recently enacted Personal Data Protection Proclamation includes a data localization component that requires all data created in Ethiopia to be stored within the country''s borders. This law will generate significant demand for data center services in the years ahead. Several data centers have recently come online, mostly clustered in Addis
Ababa''s ICT industrial park, which provides centralized government services for tenants. With the country''s commitment to adopting e-government services and promoting e-commerce and digital payments as part of its Digital Transformation Strategy, the demand for data storage services will continue to grow in the years ahead.
Ethiopia''s low-cost, clean electricity, planned digital transformation, and mandated data localization create opportunities for energy-intensive data mining and storage operations.
U.S. companies, including energy sector and information technology firms, have a strong worldwide reputation for their innovative technologies, quality products and services, and after-sale service, making them competitive in the Ethiopian market.
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The Raxio Group, a leading, pan-African data centre developer, is investing in Ethiopia by building the country’s first Uptime Institute-certified, Tier II colocation data centre. The company, which was founded in 2018, is also working on a similar project in Uganda.
The facility, which will be operational by the third quarter of 2021, will be managed by Raxio Ethiopia and will provide customers with an ultramodern, modular data centre with the latest industry technology, security and AC/DC compatibility.
Currently, Ethiopia is Africa's fifth-largest economy and boasts the continent’s second-largest population, making it a prime target for new market entrants. The economy is also predicted to grow by 6.4% in 2021, with digital services at the top of the list of expanding sectors.
Raxio Ethiopia’s operations are predicted to double in capacity over the next few years, and expansion for the Addis Ababa site is already planned.
Robert Mullins, President of Raxio Group, explained, “Raxio’s facilities enable companies such as mobile network operators, content delivery networks and financial service providers to run their critical IT systems in a built-for-purpose environment.”
Mullins said that Raxio Ethiopia provides a critical, missing part of the nation's digital infrastructure at an exciting and fast-evolving time in the country’s telecoms industry.
He commented, "We are pleased to be moving forward with developing Ethiopia’s first privately owned data centre and to have collaborated closely with the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), the Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC) and the ICT Park in reaching this important milestone.”
Raxio Group investment plans include establishing a network of data centres across the East and Southern Africa region by 2022.
Ato Sandokan Debebe, CEO of Industrial Parks Development Corporation, said “Following the holistic reform that our nation is undergoing, new mobile operators are expected to be licensed soon. As a result, our internet usage is projected to rapidly grow. It is our belief that Raxio Ethiopia will play a paramount role in strengthening and developing the country’s digital infrastructure capabilities.”
He added, “We consider our corporation’s collaboration with Raxio in the development of the ICT Park a great achievement.”
As the Managing Partner at GRN Energy, I''ve been frequently asked about my perspectives on Ethiopia emerging as an HPC data center hub—a topic that has become central in numerous meetings and online video calls.
It''s crucial to delve into Ethiopia''s energy scenario to evaluate its viability for hosting HPC data centers. The country currently possesses a modest installed capacity for electricity generation, standing at 5 gigawatts. Given its population of 120 million people, this capacity appears disproportionately low. Comparatively, Russia generates 245 gigawatts for 140 million people, and Vietnam produces 70 gigawatts for 97 million people.
Ethiopia''s ranking of 101 out of 108 countries in sustainable energy provision further emphasizes the challenges it faces. The nation''s per capita electricity consumption is a mere 100 kWh/year, significantly below the sub-Saharan Africa standard of 521 kWh/year.
Hydropower dominates the energy mix in Ethiopia, contributing to 90% of the installed generation capacity, while wind and thermal sources account for 8% and 2%, respectively. The average electricity price has experienced fluctuations, dropping from 44.02 USD/MWh in 2021 to 37.35 USD/MWh in 2022.
A staggering 46 million people in Ethiopia live without electricity access, with biomass energy being the primary source for 93% of the population. This energy poverty particularly affects rural areas, where 80% of Ethiopians reside, leading to challenges in sourcing energy for cooking and heating.
Ethiopia grapples with energy shortages and load shedding as it strives to meet the demands of its growing population, expected to increase by approximately 30% annually.
Despite these challenges, Ethiopia holds promise for HPC data centers due to its focus on generating electricity from clean and affordable renewable sources, primarily hydropower and wind power. The country boasts a substantial potential of 45 GW of hydropower and 1,350 GW of wind power.
For HPC data centers to thrive in this environment, it''s imperative to establish a stable political and economic foundation.
When considering the establishment of HPC data centers in Ethiopia, stakeholders must prioritize addressing various issues to leverage energy opportunities and contribute positively to the region with a circular approach to establish a political and economic foundation.
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