Togo has announced it will begin with the construction of a US$21-million datacentre project in January 2019.

Called Carrier Hotel, this is the West African country's first datacenter and will be located on a one-hectare site in the country's capital Lome.

The project will enable businesses to host their data locally in Togo and is expected to be completed within 15 months.

The entire project is being fully funded through a US$30-million loan by the World Bank, secured by Togo to fund initiatives under the West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Project (WARCIP).

The loan also financed Togo's first ever internet exchange point launched in 2017.

The Togolese government described the datacentre as a tool that responds to the need to improve cyber security and digital sovereignty.

Speaking at an official ceremony to launch the project, Cina Lawson, Togo's minister of digital economy said: "In terms of reliability, security and quality, technological choices made by carrier hotel make it one of the most prominent in West Africa."

The country's government has contracted BTP Centro and CFAO Technologies & Energy.

When Carrier Hotel is live, Togo will officially be added to a list of African countries housing colocation datacentres including Algeria, Angola, Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Reunion, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zimbabwe.