Where is Africa in the cloud? (4)

African countries still have limited broadband internet coverage. Lingering legacy power infrastructure constraints, which are ordinarily limiting, sustain a vicious cycle that impedes the development of the foundations upon which faster internet infrastructure must be laid on.

Some governments have shown enthusiasm toward 5G mobile telephony, which is seen as a means through which growth in cloud computing could be leveraged on, as it will enable quicker internet connections that can carry heavier loads of data at a time. Limited tech talent is also a constraint.

With varied tech skill levels across the continent, seamless movement of people and capital that the AfCFTA is aimed at should ease current difficulties in due course. But this may also take a while, as even the hitherto easing intra-African travel restrictions were hardened again owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and may take longer still before they are eased again, and perhaps much more thereafter to the extent envisaged in the AfCFTA.

A continental unification of standards, layered on the AfCFTA, say, will be a key prequisite to success

When the myriad infrastructural challenges are countenanced, from power shortages, limited bandwith, low broadband spread, and constraining regulations, it is easy to see that even as the African DC growth outlook is obviously bright, many dark clouds will weigh on its prospects for a while. Even so, there is little doubt about the African DC market outlook.

The…