The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has announced the successful completion of the first phase of a landmark initiative to establish standardized data centers across Africa. Under the Africa Cloud Ecosystem (ACE) project, the regional bloc aims to enhance the continent’s digital infrastructure, ensuring reliable and secure cloud services for key sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, and governance. This initiative, funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the NEPAD-IPPF Special Fund, represents a critical step toward bridging Africa’s digital divide.
Dr. Mohamed Kadah, COMESA’s Assistant Secretary General in charge of programs, emphasized the project’s importance during the announcement. “We must harness all efforts to bridge the digital divide, catch up with the rest of the world, and ensure the well-being and prosperity of our people in this era of the 4th Industrial Revolution,” he stated.
First Phase Success
The initial phase of the ACE project involved a comprehensive pre-investment study conducted by CERFODES, a renowned Africa-based consulting firm. The study analyzed the market potential in 11 COMESA member states: Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Key activities in this phase included field visits to national data centers and extensive data collection to evaluate the feasibility of the project. The findings revealed significant challenges such as inadequate ICT infrastructure, high costs of cloud hosting services, reliance on overseas cloud services resulting in latency issues, and unreliable power supplies required to maintain local data centers.
AfDB Task Manager Omar Elmi Samatar highlighted the significance of localizing data to achieve sovereignty over Africa’s digital assets. “Without localizing data, we cannot talk about data sovereignty,” he noted.
Vision for the Africa Cloud Ecosystem
The ACE project is designed to provide affordable, secure, and high-quality cloud services across Africa, addressing existing deficiencies in digital infrastructure. By localizing cloud services, the initiative seeks to eliminate dependency on international data storage and enhance the continent’s capacity to leverage its data resources effectively.
COMESA envisions a reliable network of standardized data centers, capable of supporting critical sectors and driving economic transformation. The project’s benefits extend beyond cost savings to include improved latency, data security, and the potential for innovation in the ICT sector.
Transitioning to Phase Two
With the pre-investment study completed, the ACE project is set to transition to its second phase. This stage will focus on implementing the study’s recommendations, including the establishment of operational frameworks, the recruitment of skilled personnel, and the adoption of necessary legal and regulatory measures.
Key priorities for phase two include:
- Harmonizing operational standards for data centers to ensure uniformity and reliability across member states.
- Addressing energy supply challenges to guarantee uninterrupted operation of data centers.
- Developing legal frameworks to protect data and uphold privacy rights.
A Step toward a Digital Future
As Africa strives to capitalize on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, initiatives like the ACE project are pivotal. By building a robust cloud ecosystem, COMESA and its partners aim to equip the continent with the tools needed for sustainable economic growth.
The ACE project aligns with broader global efforts to ensure equitable access to digital technologies. As COMESA moves forward, the project will serve as a model for other regions, reinforcing Africa’s position in the global digital economy.
Through the ACE initiative, Africa is not only addressing its current challenges but also laying the groundwork for a future where its digital potential can be fully realized.
