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Data centre developer NextDC raises another $1.5 billion as AI demand surges
The Australian Financial Review
ENRICHED
Details
- Date Published
- 20 Apr 2026
- Priority Score
- 1
- Australian
- Yes
- Created
- 20 Apr 2026, 10:00 am
Authors (1)
- Tess BennettENRICHED
Description
Craig Scroggie said the country’s largest listed data centre developer would raise $2.2 billion after winning its biggest ever customer contract.
Summary
NextDC is securing significant capital to expand physical infrastructure in response to unprecedented demand for AI computing resources in Australia. This surge in data center capacity reflects the rapid scaling of frontier AI capabilities and the underlying hardware requirements needed to support them. While primarily a business development report, the expansion of local compute infrastructure has direct implications for Australian AI sovereign capability and the physical governance of high-compute AI systems within the region.
Body
TechnologyData centresPrint articleTess BennettTechnology reporterUpdated Apr 20, 2026 – 4.39pm, first published at 9.50amNextDC chief executive Craig Scroggie said the country’s largest listed data centre developer will raise $2.2 billion after winning its biggest ever customer contract, while taking a swipe at high-profile rival Firmus, questioning if the latter was capable of building “fit-for-purpose” facilities.During an analyst briefing, Scroggie was asked about Firmus, and he dismissed the latter’s planned data centres, likening them to Bunnings Warehouse stores.Loading...SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginLicense articleFollow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.Find out moreRead MoreData centresNEXTDCBrisbaneOpenAICloudAIData Centre Gold RushFetching latest articles