Zain KSA, DataVolt to Expand Saudi Data Centers

Zain KSA and DataVolt signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Riyadh on 1 September 2026 to jointly develop a portfolio of data centers across Saudi Arabia, aimed at supporting cloud services, digital applications, and artificial intelligence workloads.

The non-binding agreement sets a framework for building flexible, scalable capacity that will serve Zain KSA's own needs alongside government entities, businesses, large enterprises, cloud service providers, digital content companies, and digital platforms. The partnership focuses on high-density computing, AI-ready infrastructure, and energy-efficient designs suited to advanced AI applications and modern cloud architectures.

DataVolt currently operates and has announced capacity of around 48–60 MW across two main sites, with roughly 70% allocated to AI workloads and the rest to cloud computing. The company has committed more than USD 5 billion to develop about 300 MW of capacity in the Kingdom, spanning projects in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and NEOM (Oxagon), built in phases through 2026–2028.

Among the key projects, a Riyadh East data center with a planned 44 MW capacity is progressing toward USD 500 million in financing, with a leading AI company anchoring 36 MW; its first phase is due to be operational by end-2026 and the remaining phases by mid-2027. In NEOM's industrial city Oxagon, DataVolt is developing an AI-ready campus with a first phase of 360 MW out of a wider 1.5 GW plan, using renewable energy and advanced cooling, with 100 MW expected around 2028.

Why it matters

Saudi Arabia's installed and announced AI-grade data center capacity now exceeds 6.6 GW of IT load across roughly two dozen campuses, with DataVolt's NEOM program the largest single announced build. These initiatives support national goals to expand digital and AI infrastructure and position the Kingdom as a regional hub for exporting computing and AI services, with total capacity forecast to rise from about 300 MW today to around 800 MW by 2030–2031.

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