Cloud infrastructure remains the overlooked backbone of regional integration in Central Africa, underpinning cross-border data flows, digital trade, and institutional interoperability essential for a cohesive and competitive regional economy
By Dr. Salim Vessah
When Central Africa’s Data Is Stored Abroad
Entrepreneurs in Douala, Cameroon utilize platforms hosted in Europe. A start-up in Libreville stores its data in South Africa. A public administration in Bangui relies on servers located outside the continent for its digital services. These various, often overlooked realities highlight a fundamental yet frequently ignored issue: the digital economy in Central Africa primarily depends on infrastructure situated elsewhere. If this is the case, can we truly discuss regional integration when data the driving force of the modern economy is stored, processed, and controlled outside the region? This question may initially seem technical, but it is, in fact, deeply economic and strategic. Today, data serves the economy much like roads and ports did in the industrial era: as essential infrastructure.
The Missing Link in Central African Integration
For decades, regional integration has been portrayed as the ultimate solution to the structural constraints facing Central African economies, such as small domestic markets, dependence on raw materials, landlocked status, and inadequate, often poor-quality infrastructure. Yet, despite the rhetoric, the establishment of regional institutions and the signing of numerous treaties, intra-regional trade in Central Africa still accounts for less than 10% of total trade, compared to over 60% in Europe and around 40% in East Asia. This low level of integration is often attributed to customs barriers, the lack or poor quality of transport infrastructure, and various political constraints. However, another, less visible dimension now plays an equally important role: digital infrastructure. Modern economic integration relies on countries’ ability to connect their payment systems, public administrations, businesses, and digital platforms. Without adequate cloud infrastructure, this digital integration remains limited, slow, and costly. The central issue, therefore, is this: Central Africa is in a challenging position, attempting to build economic integration in the 21st century with insufficient digital infrastructure.
Why Cloud Infrastructure Is an Economic Issue, Not Just a Technical One
The first argument is economic: the lack of local cloud infrastructure contributes to high transaction costs. In Africa, the cost of broadband accounts for approximately 4–5% of average monthly income, compared to less than 1.5% in developed economies. For SMEs, this limits access to digital services, e-commerce, and regional platforms. However, in regions where digital systems are well integrated, the digitization of commercial procedures has reduced transaction times by 30% to 50%, directly stimulating trade.
The second argument concerns competitiveness: when a Central African company hosts its data in Europe or South Africa, it incurs higher costs, experiences delays, faces longer latency times, and relies on foreign infrastructure. On a larger scale, this reduces the competitiveness of the entire region and hampers the development of the digital economy.
The third argument addresses financial inclusion and innovation, with Kenya providing a telling example. The development of digital infrastructure and data centers has fueled the growth of fintech and mobile financial services. Today, over 80% of the population has access to digital financial services. This transformation has facilitated trade, supported entrepreneurship, and attracted technological investment, making Nairobi a regional technology hub. Similarly, South Africa has established itself as a continental cloud hub, thanks to massive investment in data centers, attracting major technology companies while stimulating local innovation.
These examples clearly demonstrate that cloud infrastructure is not merely a technological issue but a strategic economic asset essential for achieving long-term integration goals. Consequently, countries that invest in this infrastructure become digital hubs, while others become increasingly dependent.
Think Regional, Not National
Today, the question is no longer whether Central Africa should invest in cloud infrastructure, but rather how to do so effectively. A purely national approach would face significant limitations, as markets are often too small to make large data centers profitable. In contrast, a sub-regional or regional approach would allow costs to be shared, attract multiple investors, and create a genuine regional digital market. Therefore, a regional strategy could be based on several pillars: (1) the development of interconnected regional cloud hubs, (2) the harmonization of data and cybersecurity regulations, and (3) the integration of energy and digital policies to ensure a stable power supply for the infrastructure. Additionally, the digitalization of public administrations could play a crucial role by generating local demand for cloud services. If this strategy is well coordinated, cloud infrastructure could become for Central Africa what ports and railways have been for other regions: a true catalyst for economic integration.
Cloud Infrastructure as the New Foundation of Regional Integration
In the 21st century, integration in Central Africa cannot be limited to roads, borders, and physical trade; it must also encompass data, digital platforms, and cloud infrastructure. Without this infrastructure, the region risks disaster and may be sidelined in the digital economy, a cornerstone of the African Continental Free Trade Area. The cloud is not just a technology; it is a strategic tool. For Central Africa, it could serve as the invisible yet essential foundation for tomorrow’s regional integration. Therefore, the real question for decision-makers is not whether to invest in the cloud, but whether they can afford not to. With this in mind, three priority actions can be implemented immediately:
Launch two or three regional cloud hubs: Identify host countries, secure funding from international partners, and attract private operators. The goal is to create a regional, rather than national, infrastructure.
Harmonize digital regulations across countries: Adopt common rules on data, cybersecurity, and digital payments to facilitate business operations throughout the region.
Digitize public services to create demand: Customs, taxation, digital identity, and public payments must be digitized and hosted locally. This will position the state as the regional cloud’s first customer and attract private investment.
Thus, regional integration will not be achieved solely through trade agreements but through digital infrastructure. In an era marked by the fragmentation of geopolitical and economic blocs globally, regions that control their data will build economic power, while others will depend on them.
