Kenya and Ghana are stepping up efforts to develop sovereign cloud infrastructure, as governments across Africa seek greater control over data and digital services. The move comes amid growing concern that reliance on foreign-hosted infrastructure limits national control over sensitive information and reduces the economic value derived from data.
According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, “investment in digital infrastructure is essential for Africa’s economic transformation,” with cloud computing and data systems forming a critical foundation for modern economies. In both countries, the push for sovereign cloud is closely linked to the expansion of e-government services, digital identity systems, and online public platforms. As these systems scale, governments are prioritising local data storage and stronger regulatory oversight.
At the same time, infrastructure gaps remain a challenge. A report by the Africa Data Centres Association notes that while capacity is growing, a significant share of African data is still hosted outside the continent, highlighting the need for continued investment. The shift toward data localisation is also being driven by concerns around cybersecurity and compliance, as governments seek to protect sensitive information from external risks.
Technology providers are expected to play a key role in supporting this transition. Companies such as Thales and Entrust provide encryption and identity solutions critical to secure cloud environments, while IN Groupe supports trusted identity systems. Visa underpins digital payment ecosystems built on top of these platforms.
As Kenya and Ghana continue to invest in sovereign cloud, their progress will be closely watched as a potential model for other African countries seeking to balance innovation with control over their digital infrastructure.