Banten, located at the western tip of Java Island, Indonesia, has seen a surge in investor interest since early this year, according to Virgojanti, Head of the Banten Province Investment and One-Stop Integrated Services Agency (DPMPTSP). Virgojanti had recently revealed to Antara, Indonesia’s state news agency, that several companies are exploring plans to build data centres in strategic locations in the province.
Among the places the investors are looking at are Cileles in Lebak District, the Education, Technology and International Health Special Economic Zone (KEK ETKI) in BSD, Cikupa, and, most recently, Serang, the capital city of the province. Serang is about 92 kilometres from Jakarta, requiring about 1 hour 37 minutes’ drive.
Virgojanti cited the availability of vast land, reliable electricity, and ample water resources as strong pull factors supporting data centre investments.
“Our challenge and opportunity going forward is to ensure that Banten develops a highly skilled technology workforce to support these investments,” she said.
Banten Governor Andra Soni agreed saying that the province is deemed very strategic due to its adequate infrastructure support and resources such as reliable electricity supply and abundant water resources. He added that Banten is being considered as one of the potential locations for data centers by Chinese firms planning to build data centers in Indonesia.
One of them is Hexavia whose CEO, Qimeng Sun, visited Banten recently. Sun had expressed interest in the province’s infrastructure potential.
Soni reaffirmed Banten’s commitment to welcoming data center and AI investments, provided that they comply with applicable regulations.
In 2025, Banten recorded strong inflows of investment which Soni attributed to the province’s proximity to Jakarta, international airport, extensive toll road network, and reliable energy and water infrastructure.
As with other coastal provinces in Indonesia, Banten boasts stunning beaches, lush greenery, and volcanic mountains, making it a potential tourism destination. As of September 2020, it has a population of 11.90 million.