Visa has opened its first data centre in Africa. The data centre is located in Johannesburg and is part of a 1 billion rand ($57 million) investment in South Africa over the next three years.
According to Michael Berner, Visa’s Head of Southern and East Africa, the Johannesburg data centre is one of the few the global payment giant has built outside its core infrastructure hubs in the U.S., UK, and Singapore.
“Visa continues to be very committed to the growth of the economy on the continent,” said Berner. “Building the data centre here is evidence of this commitment.”
The facility will extend the reach of VisaNet, Visa’s global processing network, which handles over 100 billion transactions across 200+ countries and territories annually.
Launchpad for African Innovation
Visa says South Africa’s fast-evolving digital economy makes it an ideal launchpad for innovations that can scale continent-wide.
“We really see South Africa as a digital innovator and leader on the continent,” said Lineshree Moodley, Country Manager for Visa South Africa. “This data centre can be a launchpad for solutions we take across Africa.”
Visa also confirmed that the investment is part of a $1 billion commitment to Africa over five years, originally announced in 2022.
South Africa’s Minister of Communications, Solly Malatsi, praised the launch, calling it a vote of confidence in the country’s role as a leading investment destination.“This reduces the reliance on overseas infrastructure and boosts our national financial sovereignty,” he stated at the event.
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