UniCloud Africa (UCA) and Open Access Data Centres (OADC) have entered a strategic partnership aimed at expanding locally hosted cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure across key African markets, as demand rises for data sovereignty and in-country digital services.
According to a statement issued by the companies, the agreement will see UniCloud Africa deploy its cloud and AI infrastructure within OADC data centre facilities in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Africa.
The companies said the partnership is designed to help governments, financial institutions, and enterprises modernise operations while keeping data within national borders and meeting local regulatory requirements.
What they are saying
The companies disclosed that under the arrangement, UniCloud Africa will use OADC’s carrier-neutral and Tier III certified facilities to offer lower-latency cloud services and locally billed solutions to customers in the three markets.
- Nigeria is expected to serve as a hub for fintech and enterprise demand through OADC’s Lagos campus, while Kinshasa is positioned to provide domestic cloud capacity for the DRC.
- In South Africa, the infrastructure is expected to support geographically separated primary and disaster recovery systems.
Chief Executive Officer of UniCloud Africa, Dr Krish Ranganath, said the partnership would support efforts to keep African data within the continent while improving access to enterprise cloud services.
- “Our mission is to provide the definitive foundation for Africa’s digital and economic independence. By hosting our sovereign infrastructure within OADC’s world-class facilities, we are ensuring that African data remains on African soil,” Ranganath said.
OADC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ayotunde Coker, said localised cloud infrastructure would be important for economic growth and digital development across Africa.
Beyond conventional cloud hosting, he said the partnership will also support the deployment of graphics processing unit services that can be used for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data workloads.
Get up to speed
Last year, OADC, a subsidiary of the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC), launched a new platform in Nigeria aimed at improving access to cloud services and addressing connectivity challenges across Africa.
The platform, known as Open Access Fabric (OAFabric), went live in Lagos and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in August.
The OAFabric provides connectivity speeds of 1G, 10G and 100G, giving enterprises in Nigeria direct access to platforms such as Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Amazon Web Services.
According to the company, the new system aligns with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)’s cloud policy, which prioritises secure, locally anchored cloud services.
What you should know
Africa’s digital economy has grown rapidly in recent years, but many businesses still depend on offshore cloud providers, creating concerns around latency, foreign currency costs, and compliance with data protection laws.
The partnership between the two companies is expected to facilitate pricing in local currencies and remove data egress fees, which would lower barriers for organisations seeking advanced computing services.
