Saudi Arabia Breaks Ground on World’s Largest Government Data Centre in Riyadh
Riyadh initiates construction of the Hexagon facility — a cornerstone of its Vision 2030 digital infrastructure expansion
Saudi Arabia has commenced construction on what is set to become the world’s largest government data centre, a milestone for the Kingdom’s digital transformation and technological sovereignty agenda.
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority laid the foundation stone for the Hexagon Data Centre in Riyadh, officially marking the start of work on the facility, which will span approximately thirty million square feet and is designed to the highest international standards with a Tier IV classification for reliability and resilience.
The project forms a central pillar of Vision 2030, the government’s strategic blueprint to diversify the economy, enhance digital services, promote data sovereignty and establish the Kingdom as a global hub for advanced technology and data processing infrastructure.
Once completed, the Hexagon Data Centre will boast a total capacity of 480 megawatts, making it the largest government-owned data centre by power capacity in the world.
It is expected to host hundreds of key government systems, support secure and efficient public sector data operations, and strengthen national cybersecurity frameworks as data becomes an essential driver of economic development and public service innovation.
Officials have emphasised that the centre will accelerate digital transformation across critical sectors, enhance artificial intelligence capabilities and serve as a foundational asset for the nation’s emerging digital economy.
The project reflects Saudi Arabia’s ambition to build cutting-edge digital infrastructure that can meet the needs of a knowledge-based economy and accommodate rapid growth in data demands from both public and private stakeholders.
By harnessing world-class design, advanced technologies and robust operational capacity, the Hexagon Data Centre is positioned to underpin the Kingdom’s long-term goals in data governance, service delivery, and technological competitiveness on the global stage.
Industry observers say the initiative also aligns with broader international trends in data centre investment, where sovereign and commercial entities alike are expanding capacity to support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, big data analytics and digital connectivity.
The launch of the Hexagon project underscores Saudi Arabia’s resolve to be at the forefront of these developments, reinforcing Riyadh’s commitment to innovation and strategic infrastructure development.
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority laid the foundation stone for the Hexagon Data Centre in Riyadh, officially marking the start of work on the facility, which will span approximately thirty million square feet and is designed to the highest international standards with a Tier IV classification for reliability and resilience.
The project forms a central pillar of Vision 2030, the government’s strategic blueprint to diversify the economy, enhance digital services, promote data sovereignty and establish the Kingdom as a global hub for advanced technology and data processing infrastructure.
Once completed, the Hexagon Data Centre will boast a total capacity of 480 megawatts, making it the largest government-owned data centre by power capacity in the world.
It is expected to host hundreds of key government systems, support secure and efficient public sector data operations, and strengthen national cybersecurity frameworks as data becomes an essential driver of economic development and public service innovation.
Officials have emphasised that the centre will accelerate digital transformation across critical sectors, enhance artificial intelligence capabilities and serve as a foundational asset for the nation’s emerging digital economy.
The project reflects Saudi Arabia’s ambition to build cutting-edge digital infrastructure that can meet the needs of a knowledge-based economy and accommodate rapid growth in data demands from both public and private stakeholders.
By harnessing world-class design, advanced technologies and robust operational capacity, the Hexagon Data Centre is positioned to underpin the Kingdom’s long-term goals in data governance, service delivery, and technological competitiveness on the global stage.
Industry observers say the initiative also aligns with broader international trends in data centre investment, where sovereign and commercial entities alike are expanding capacity to support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, big data analytics and digital connectivity.
The launch of the Hexagon project underscores Saudi Arabia’s resolve to be at the forefront of these developments, reinforcing Riyadh’s commitment to innovation and strategic infrastructure development.