Project Overview

The Hexagon Data Center is a 480 MW sovereign government data center under construction in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The developer, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), laid the foundation stone for the project on 1 January 2026, marking the official start of construction.

Once operational, the facility will be the world's largest government-owned data center by power capacity, hosting more than 290 government systems on a site exceeding 30 million square feet. The project’s name derives from its architectural design, which comprises two concentric hexagonal structures surrounding a central courtyard.

AlBawani General Contracting Group, a Riyadh-headquartered construction firm, has been appointed as the main contractor. The total estimated cost of the project is USD 2.7 billion (approximately SAR 10.1 billion).

The center carries a Tier IV classification from the Uptime Institute, the highest international rating for data center resilience, guaranteeing 99.995 percent operational availability and full fault tolerance. 

The project is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030's objective of building a diversified, knowledge-based economy and positioning the Kingdom as a global hub for advanced technologies. 

Saudi Arabia ranks first globally on the Government AI Strategy Index, and the Hexagon facility is designed to sustain and extend that leadership by providing sovereign, AI-ready compute capacity for public sector digital transformation.

Hexagon Data Center Project Location

The Hexagon Data Center is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is specifically in the Riyadh Metropolitan Area, within Salbukh near Hwy 546. This location supports its expansive 30 million sq ft footprint while aligning with national infrastructure goals.

Technical Specification

Project Background

SDAIA was established in 2019 as Saudi Arabia's national authority for data and artificial intelligence, responsible for regulating, developing, and governing data use across the Kingdom. It launched with the stated ambition that 'data is the oil of the 21st century.' Within its first six years, SDAIA developed national standards for generative AI and AI adoption frameworks.

The DEEM government cloud, which the Hexagon Data Center will host and scale, was established by royal decree in early September 2018, predating SDAIA itself. DEEM merges data from 193 government entities and provides cloud computing services in accordance with the highest security policies mandated by the National Cybersecurity Authority.

The need for the Hexagon facility arose from the rapid digitization of government services across Saudi Arabia. Electronic service usage across public agencies expanded substantially under Vision 2030, creating a demand for sovereign computing capacity that existing infrastructure could not meet at scale.

The Hexagon Data Center resolves this by providing a single, purpose-built, internationally certified facility capable of hosting the entire Saudi government's digital infrastructure. SDAIA described the facility as a qualitative strategic boost toward making the Kingdom a global data center. It confirmed that the Hexagon Data Center will be followed by the establishment of additional data centers as part of SDAIA's broader infrastructure expansion strategy.

Hexagon Data Center Project Developers

The Hexagon Data Center Project is wholly owned by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). It is a national authority for data & AI under the Kingdom’s Council of Ministers. Its president, Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi, laid the foundation stone and publicly incorporated SDAIA into this project.

Leading Stakeholders

Hexagon Data Center Project Cost & Investment Details

Project Timeline

Project Scope

The following is the project scope of the Hexagon Data Center Project:

• LEED Gold Certification: To bypass the global challenge of grid constraints, the Hexagon facility is being built with a "Green-First" philosophy, integrating massive on-site renewable energy sources and achieving LEED Gold certification.
  

• Architectural design: The facility features two concentric hexagonal structures around a central courtyard.
  

• Infrastructure: Offers highly secure, resilient, and fault-tolerant infrastructure for hosting critical government systems and national digital platforms.
  

• Integrates government entities: The center unifies over 290 government systems and applications.
  

• Water cooling system: The facility employs an advanced direct liquid cooling system combined with hybrid air-liquid methods.

Hexagon Data Center Project Contractors

Benefits

The following are the benefits of the project:

• Boosting National Security: Handling over 290 government systems, it reduces reliance on foreign cloud providers, improving national security.
  

• Boost Economy: Projected SAR 10B boost to GDP with SAR 1.8B annual operational savings through energy-efficient design.
  

• Saves Power Costs: LEED Gold standards via direct liquid/hybrid cooling and renewables save SAR 30M yearly on power costs.
  

• Aligns with Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision: The project supports AI infrastructure, meeting Vision 2030 goals, enabling a hyperscale sovereign cloud for public services.
  

• Environmental benefits: The project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by up to 30,000 tonnes annually.

Conclusion

Through its 480 MW Tier IV facility in Riyadh, the Hexagon Data Center represents Saudi Arabia’s major leap in digital ambitions. The center hosts over 290 government agencies, ensuring data safety and hyperscale AI capabilities.

With its two concentric hexagonal structures, the facility will become the world's largest government-owned data center by power capacity. It reduces dependence on foreign clouds, bolsters national security with 99.995% uptime, and enables scalable public services, fostering innovation across sectors.

Overall, Hexagon Data Center positions Saudi Arabia as a global compute powerhouse, driving long-term digital transformation with modular expansion potential and enduring benefits for sustainability and growth.

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