Global Energy Company, Schneider Electric, has expressed its determination to partner with cloud service providers in Africa.
The company in a statement issued by its Cloud and Service Provider Segment Sales for Anglophone Africa, Faith Waithaka, said they are ready to bolster cloud service, popularly known as hyperscalers in Africa.
Waithaka said in South Africa, global cloud service providers (CSPs) like Microsoft, IBM, AWS, Oracle have expanded their cloud data centres which, in turn, has bolstered the hyperscaler market.
According to a report by the African Data Centre Construction Market, it is estimated that African data centres will continue to show a CAGR of 10.7% till 2028.
“In the African data centre construction market, South Africa is the major contributor to the capacity in the region, with more than 50%, followed by Nigeria, Kenya, and other African countries. Cloud-based services, smart city developments, and fibre connectivity drive continuous regional data canter investments,” the report stated.
Waithaka said: “To make a lasting impact on the continent, partnerships between global hyperscale companies and local experts must be forged, bringing together technical expertise and investment capabilities.
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“Moreover, these partnerships must keep sustainability in mind, particularly at a time when many countries on the continent, including South Africa, are facing significant energy provision challenges.
“Here, hyperscalers can lead the charge, demonstrating their commitment to sustainability by actively collaborating with local renewable energy providers, governments and specialist organisations.
“By supporting the development of renewable energy products and solutions, hyperscalers can contribute to greener, more sustainable data centre operations.
“For example, by deploying large-scale solar installations, hyperscalers are not only proactively managing their own power supply but also contributing to countries’ overall renewable energy posture.
“From a regulatory point of view, the hyperscaler marketplace in countries like South Africa is not as a firmly regulated as their North American and European peers which is dictated by carbon accounting, water usage and zero waste to landfill practices.
“Hyperscalers operating in Africa are faced with a delicate balancing act; they must process and store massive amounts of data whilst still delivering it rapidly and consistently whilst keeping energy efficiency and sustainability in mind.
“Their responsibilities are twofold; as multinationals, they must meet the abovementioned regulatory requirements whilst also establishing energy efficient practices and technologies (in the countries they operate in) which will hopefully become commonplace.
“The good news is that hyperscalers have the potential to truly change the data centre industry into one that leads by example.
“By implementing best practices, adhering to ISO standards, and staying at the forefront of technology, hyperscalers can enhance operational efficiencies, and set industry benchmarks for a sustainable African data centre industry.”
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