Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
More from Sub-Saharan Africa
Information and Communications Technology
Information and Communications Technology
More from Information and Communications Technology

Challenge

Information and communications technology (ICT) is increasingly crucial to economic inclusion and growth, and across Africa, a significant ICT infrastructure gap is a major impediment to growth. Despite being home to 17 percent of the world’s total population, Africa accounts for less than one percent of total available global data center capacity.

Additional data centers are needed to increase access to smartphones and cloud-based technologies, promote entrepreneurial activity, and close the digital divide by lowering Internet costs.

Solution and Impact

DFC provided financing to Africa Data Centres Holdings Limited to support the development, expansion, and operation of seven data centers in South Africa, Kenya, and other DFC-eligible countries. This $300 million direct loan will unlock approximately 31.3 MW of IT load capacity in the next three years. The project is also expected to create over 100 direct formal jobs associated with developing the data centers.