Project Overview

The Khazna QAJ1 Ajman Data Center Campus is a 100 MW hyperscale data center. Currently under construction, the facility is located in the emirate of Ajman, United Arab Emirates.  Developed by Khazna Data Centers, the facility was announced at GITEX Global 2024 in October 2024. It was described as the first AI-optimized data center of its kind in the region and the largest project in Khazna's portfolio. 

The facility covers approximately 100,000 square meters and comprises 20 data halls, each rated at 5 MW of IT power capacity, for a total of 100 MW. The facility is designed to a Tier 3 standard, with a modular, energy-efficient architecture that enables phased activation.

Laing O'Rourke is the main contractor, and Proarc Architects & Engineering Consultants is the local architect of record. Etihad Water and Electricity Company (EtihadWE), the utility serving the northern emirates of the UAE, is the designated power supplier. 

Microsoft is the anchor tenant and strategic partner at QAJ1. The first 30 MW AI deployment phase by Microsoft was scheduled to go live shortly after February 2026. In November 2025, as part of Microsoft's USD 7.9 billion UAE investment plan for 2026–2029, Microsoft and G42 announced a further 200 MW expansion of data center capacity to be delivered through Khazna, with that capacity expected online before the end of 2026. Whether this 200 MW expansion is at QAJ1, at other Khazna sites, or at new sites has not been publicly confirmed as of April 2026.

At the national level, QAJ1 directly supports the UAE's National Digital Economy Strategy — which aims to double the digital economy's contribution to GDP over the next decade — and the UAE AI Strategy 2031. 

Ajman Data Center Project Location

The Ajman Data Center project (also known as Khazna QAJ01/QAJ1 – Ajman AI Data Center) is located in Ajman, United Arab Emirates, specifically in the Al Amerah area of Ajman Municipality. 

The selection of Ajman reflected practical site considerations: larger, contiguous land parcels; lower land costs than in Dubai or Abu Dhabi's core zones; available EtihadWE grid capacity; and Ajman's proximity to the northern UAE's growing industrial and commercial base.

Technical Specification

Project Background

Khazna Data Centers was formed in October 2021 through the merger of G42's and e& (Emirates Telecommunications Group)'s data center operations, creating the UAE's largest data center provider. MGX and Silver Lake became minority shareholders in Khazna in April 2025, while e& exited its stake, bringing significant international institutional capital into the company. 

Prior Khazna builds, including the AUH6 Abu Dhabi facility (31.8 MW, Masdar City, launched in February 2024), served as the engineering and operational reference points for the much larger Ajman facility.

Khazna CEO Hassan Alnaqbi announced at GITEX Global 2024 in October 2024 that the project had received government-level endorsement. Ground had already been broken before the GITEX announcement, and Khazna stated the facility would be complete within 15 months, implying a target of approximately Q3 2025. 

The Q3 2025 target was not met. As of December 2025, no commissioning announcement had been made. In November 2025, Microsoft-G42 announced a 200 MW capacity expansion plan across the UAE through Khazna. 

The Microsoft-G42 partnership underpinning QAJ1 has been built progressively since 2023. Microsoft invested USD 1.5 billion in G42 in 2024, and G42, in turn, divested certain non-core technology assets to align with Microsoft's requirements on data sovereignty, security, and responsible AI.

Ajman Data Center Project Current Status

The Ajman Data Center project, also known as QAJ1, is currently under construction, with commissioning & partial operations expected by December 2026. Construction officially started in October 2024, with Laing O’Rourke as the main contractor on a roughly 15‑month overall schedule, implying substantial progress by mid‑2026.

However, the developer confirms that the steel structures are complete and the project is progressing quickly, with the first phase of the 100 MW AI‑optimized facility planned for completion in December 2026.

Stakeholders Details

Ajman Data Center Project Cost Details

Project Scope

The following is the project scope of the Ajman Data Center project:

• Delivers AI Infrastructure: The facility delivers AI- and cloud-ready infrastructure capable of supporting hyperscalers (including Microsoft‑aligned deployments) and high‑density GPU workloads for AI, analytics, and cloud services.
  

• Advanced cooling system: Incorporates advanced liquid-cooling systems and AI-driven energy management tools to optimize power usage effectiveness (PUE) and support energy‑efficient operation of AI‑intensive racks.
  

• Tier-III certified design: The facility has achieved Tier-III certification, ensuring high availability, redundancy, and a fault-tolerant architecture for critical AI & cloud workloads.
  

• Provides hyperscale-grade connectivity: Provides carrier‑neutral, hyperscale‑grade connectivity with multiple fiber routes and access to regional and international subsea cables, ensuring low‑latency links to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and global markets.
  

Project Timeline 

Ajman Data Center Project Contractors

Ajman Data Center Project Latest News

On 24 February 2026, Uptime Institute, the Global Digital Infrastructure Authority, announced that Khazna Data Centers has received the Uptime Institute Tier III Certification of Design Documents (TCDD) award for its newest 100 MW AI-optimized data center. Thus, QAJ01 is set to be the first certified AI Data Center with liquid cooling in the Middle East & North Africa region. 

It is purpose-built to meet the demands of next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. Located in Ajman, United Arab Emirates, the new facility has been designed with advanced liquid-cooling systems to support the high rack densities and thermal loads required by large-scale AI training and inference applications, while optimizing energy efficiency and maintaining operational resilience.

Uptime Institute’s Tier Certification of Design Documents (TCDD) award corroborates that the facility’s design plans meet the requirements of its Tier Standard for Topology. It assures that once constructed, the facility can achieve the desired performance and resilience outcomes.

Benefits

The following are the benefits of the project: 

• Broadens Digital Infrastructure: The facility positions Ajman as the anchor of the UAE’s Northern Corridor for a hyperscale AI data center development, expanding the country’s digital infrastructure footprint beyond Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
  

• Boosts Data Center Capacity: Boosts the UAE’s cumulative live data center capacity beyond 376 MW, reinforcing the country’s position as one of the fastest‑growing data center markets globally. 
  

• Lowers energy per unit: Incorporation of advanced liquid cooling and AI‑powered energy‑management tools improves thermal efficiency, reduces downtime, and lowers energy use per compute unit.
  

• Tier-III certified design: Provides Tier‑III‑certified design for resilience and uptime, positioning QAJ1 as a measure for mission‑critical AI infrastructure in the Middle East and North Africa.
  

• Supports AI Expansion: The facility supports Microsoft’s and other hyperscalers’ AI expansions in the UAE, helping power cloud and AI‑as‑a‑service ecosystems for local and regional enterprises. 

Conclusion

The Ajman Data Center project, also known as QAJ1, marks a strategic milestone in the UAE’s ambition to become a regional hub for AI infrastructure. The campus strengthens Ajman’s role beyond traditional logistics, positioning it as a dedicated hyperscale zone that enhances the more established data center markets of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. 

The 100 MW hyperscale data center facility, developed by Khazna Data Centers, spans approximately 100,000 square meters and comprises 20 data halls, each rated at 5 MW of IT power capacity, for a total of 100 MW. The first 30 MW AI deployment phase by Microsoft was scheduled to go live shortly after February 2026.

Its integration of advanced cooling, energy‑efficient design, and hyperscaler partnerships positions QAJ1 as a template for future AI‑focused data center developments across the wider MENA region.

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