Total Project Cost
Investment Required
Stakeholders
Countries
Project Overview
Description
The Development of Data Centre Infrastructures Underpinning the Digital Economy project envisions establishing six new data centres in Burundi, Central African Republic, São Tomé & Príncipe, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon, alongside the reinforcement of five existing centres in Angola, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its core objectives are to secure cyberspace, build user confidence in digital services, and regionalize intra-ECCAS data exchange to reduce latency and improve access times .
Objectives
Project Objectives: Secure cyberspace, Build digital confidence, Regionalize digital data exchange, Reduce response times, Improve data access, Support digital transformation, Guarantee digital sovereignty, Enable regional integration
Strategic Importance
Critical for regional digital infrastructure development and cybersecurity enhancement
Technical Specifications
Technology & Design
Modern data center infrastructure with regional interconnection capabilities
Capacity & Size
Six new data centers and five reinforced centers across 11 countries
Technical Details
Infrastructure Requirements: New data center facilities, Upgraded existing centers, Regional interconnection, Advanced security systems
Development, Implementation & Financial Details
Development Timeline
Project advancing from enabling environment phase (2020) to definition stage with coordination improvements across multiple countries
Latest Implementation Updates
UPDATED7th PIDA Week Presentation: On 28 February 2022, Guichard Tsangou of ECCAS presented the initiative at the 7th PIDA Week in Nairobi, highlighting its role in strengthening Central Africa’s digital backbone .
March 25–27, 2025: AUDA-NEPAD hosted a PIDA PAP II midterm–review workshop in Addis Ababa to accelerate early-stage project preparation via the PIDA Implementation Support Project (PISP). While this workshop reinforced the overall pipeline of 11 ICT projects.
Financing Structure
Public and private financing coordination across multiple countries
Project Timeline
Start Date
January 2019
Development Timeline
Project advancing from enabling environment phase (2020) to definition stage with coordination improvements across multiple countries
Project Status History
Status 2020
Initial Assessment
Status 2022
Initial Assessment
Status 2024
Project Definition
Additional Project Details
Construction Timeline
Pre-development phase with institutional framework established
Legal & Financial Advisors
Not Available
Market Analysis
Market Analysis
Growing demand for regional data sovereignty and digital services
Market Demand
ECCAS member states governments and businesses
Key Stakeholders
Project Sponsor
ECCAS Secretariat
Key Parties
ECCAS ICT National Authorities
Investors
To be determined following project definition completion
Contractors & Operators
Not Available
Risk Assessment
General Risk Assessment
Implementation complexity across multiple countries, Technical coordination challenges, Funding mobilization requirements
Regulatory Risks
Regional regulatory framework development needed for effective coordination
Impact Assessment
Environmental Impact
Environmental impact studies required for multiple facility locations
Social Impact
Improves regional digital capabilities and supports economic development
Investment Opportunities
Private Sector Opportunities
Significant private investment opportunities in data center development, operations, and digital services
Next Steps & Agreements
Next Steps
Secure funding for pre-feasibility studies and advance project definition
Offtake Agreements
Not Available
Contact Information
Not Available
