The Competition Commission has given the green light to a transaction that will allow Open Access Data Centres (OADC) to significantly expand its presence in South Africa through the acquisition of a portfolio of data centre facilities from NTT Data—subject to public-interest conditions.
The transaction involves OADC, through its subsidiaries OADC Propco and OADC Opco, acquiring specific data centre operations currently owned by NTT Data South Africa (formerly Dimension Data). Both subsidiaries are wholly owned by Open Access Data Centres (Mauritius), which is controlled by the WIOCC Group.
OADC already operates advanced data centres in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town, offering services such as colocation, connectivity, and related solutions. Through its parent group, OADC is integrated into a vast network of terrestrial and subsea fibre infrastructure across sub-Saharan Africa, positioning it as a critical player in the continent’s digital infrastructure ecosystem.
The deal covers seven data centre facilities currently operated by NTT Data in South Africa, located in:
- Bloemfontein
- Cape Town
- East London
- Bryanston (Johannesburg)
- Parklands (Johannesburg)
- Gqeberha
- Umhlanga
The acquisition also includes associated infrastructure and equipment, supplier and lease agreements, and the property on which the Parklands data centre is situated. These facilities provide a comprehensive suite of services, including:
- Colocation (racks and power)
- Network and connectivity solutions
- Data centre implementation and management services
After reviewing the transaction, the Competition Commission concluded that the deal is unlikely to substantially lessen or prevent competition in the market. However, to address public-interest concerns, OADC has committed to implementing a “historically disadvantaged persons” (HDP) transaction as a condition of approval.
This decision paves the way for OADC to broaden its national footprint, adding edge and regional data centre capacity to its portfolio. The move strengthens OADC’s ability to support South Africa’s growing demand for digital infrastructure and connectivity.
