Ground has been broken on a major new data centre for the Saudi Arabian government in Riyadh, described as the world’s largest government data centre. The foundation stone of the Hexagon data centre, developed by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), was laid late last week.
The facility will feature a certified Tier IV design and is planned to span 2.78 million square metres, with a total power capacity of 480MW. According to Data Centre Dynamics, the architectural design will consist of two concentric hexagons with a central courtyard.
Once operational, the Hexagon data centre will host more than 290 government systems. The facility has reportedly been designed to comply with green building requirements, although further details on sustainability features, construction timelines, and launch schedules have yet to be disclosed.
SDAIA President Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi highlighted the project’s strategic importance, describing it as a cornerstone for positioning Saudi Arabia as a global hub for data and artificial intelligence. He said the centre will play a critical role in ensuring data sovereignty and security while supporting innovation and the growth of a digital economy. Al-Ghamdi also indicated that additional data centres are planned in the future.
Established in 2018, SDAIA serves as the Kingdom’s central authority for data and AI, with its transformation strategy approved in 2019. The Hexagon project aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader push to expand sovereign digital infrastructure, a trend also reflected in recent initiatives such as stc group’s joint venture with PIF-backed AI company Humain to develop AI-focused data centres in the Kingdom.
