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ARTICLE · 26 OCTOBER 2026

Data-centre Capacity And Data Sovereignty Across Africa

Mishcon de Reya LLP
Mishcon de Reya LLP
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Mishcon de Reya LLP

Mishcon de Reya LLP

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Africa's data-centre market presents enormous growth potential, with only 10% of current demand being served, yet faces critical infrastructure challenges around power reliability, transmission capacity, and regulatory frameworks. As hyperscalers eye the continent for expansion and governments push data sovereignty agendas, the question becomes whether African nations can build the energy and connectivity infrastructure needed to support this digital transformation while managing the risks of stranded asset

South AfricaEnergy and Natural Resources
Joe Hancock
Joe Hancock
Timothy Folaranmi
Timothy Folaranmi
John Sendama
John Sendama
Edwin Chik
Edwin Chik

Data-centre capacity and energy

Africa accounts for only a tiny number of large-scale data centres. By some estimates, only about 10% of the data-centre demand in Africa is currently served. There is a huge market opportunity for online and connected services, all of which lies on top of data-centre capacity.

Data-centre infrastructure is becoming a global issue. They require enormous amounts of power and water, and deep capital investment. In Africa they can potentially become a force for change, being anchor loads for energy expansion that benefits the countries and communities in which they are located.

The push for data sovereignty and localisation will drive demand higher on a per-country level. Data sovereignty has evolved from an aspiration into a strategic policy lever and will likely continue.

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