Saudi Arabia Launches World’s Largest Government Data Center in Riyadh
Image used for illustrative purpose. Photo: SPA
Saudi Arabia has taken a big step in the world of technology by opening the Hexagon Data Center in Riyadh. This new center is the largest government data center in the world and is built to the highest global level, known as Tier IV.
The Hexagon Data Center has a huge power capacity of 480 megawatts and covers more than 30 million square feet. It is designed to store, process, and protect massive amounts of data. Today, data is very important because it helps countries grow, plan better, and improve daily life.
The project supports Saudi Vision 2030 and is led by the Saudi Data and AI Authority, also known as SDAIA. The goal is to make Saudi Arabia one of the world’s leading countries in data and artificial intelligence.
The data center reflects the vision of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, who wants the Kingdom to become a global center for advanced technology. Strong digital systems also help Saudi Arabia protect its data and grow new sources of income beyond oil.
Data centers first appeared in the 1950s as large rooms that protected early computers. They became more important with the rise of the internet in the 1990s and cloud services in the 2000s. Today, modern tools like artificial intelligence need very powerful data centers to work properly. Because of this, data is now seen as a new kind of wealth that never runs out.
Since it was formed in 2019, SDAIA has helped Saudi Arabia grow quickly in data and AI. In just a few years, the Kingdom has become a key player in the global digital economy and a top technology destination in the Middle East. SDAIA has also built strong laws to protect personal data and privacy and to guide the safe use of artificial intelligence.
The Hexagon Data Center is the first of many centers planned across the Kingdom. These centers will meet the growing demand for digital services and ensure systems keep running at all times. The center is built using global best practices to avoid downtime and technical failures.
The facility is also environmentally friendly. It meets LEED Gold standards for green buildings and uses smart cooling systems, including liquid and hybrid cooling, to save energy. Renewable energy sources are part of its power supply, making it one of the world’s largest green data centers.
The center follows major international standards such as TIA-942 and ISO/IEC 22237, which ensure strong protection against technical and environmental risks. It has also earned Tier IV certification, meaning it can operate even if something goes wrong, with an availability rate of 99.995 percent.
SDAIA expects Saudi data centers to bring more than SAR 10 billion into the local economy and save over SAR 1.8 billion every year. These projects will help improve government digital services and raise the quality of life for people living in Saudi Arabia.
With the launch of the Hexagon Data Center, Saudi Arabia has clearly entered the global data race, showing its commitment to technology, sustainability, and a smarter digital future.
